


Last of a Dying Breed

by GrayChameleon



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: A lot of wolves in this fic, Anal Sex, Angst, Attempt at Humor, Blowjobs, Bottom Jay, Characters to be added, Cole's awkward and shy, Crying, Demon lord!Garmadon, Demon!Skylor, Dirty Talk, Don't Like Don't Read, Dream Sex, Edging, Eventually it's gonna get real brutal, Everyone has safewords as a precaution, F/F, Fairy!Lloyd, Fingering, Ghost wolf demon!Cole, He's just dumb, He's not, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, I accidentally ended up giving Cole a dark past, I didn't mean for this to happen I swear, I literally started this just to give me something to do while my other fic is being beta-ed, I think that's it for now?, Ice elf!Zane, Incubus!Kai, Jay is Jay, Jay likes being called a baby boy, Kai thinks he's smooth, Later fighting, Lightning spirit!Jay, Little to no effort is being put into this, Lloyd's ace/aro, Lloyd's cute, Lore - Freeform, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Not Beta Read, Now for some dirty tags, Nya wonders what she did in her past life to deserve him as a brother, Relationships to be added - Freeform, Rough Sex, Self-Lubrication, Skylor and Nya are dating, Succubus!Nya, Switch kai, Tags to be changed and updated, The OCs are wolves, The fighting's kinda brutal, This is a plotless mess at this point, This is kinda like a boarding school!AU, This is no longer as plotless as I thought it was, This is terrible, This was supposed to be light and funny what happened, Update schedule is nonexistent, Zane tries to keep everyone out of trouble but usually gets looped into whatever it is, handjobs, it just did, language throughout, oh boy, transformations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2020-08-14 16:47:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20195488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrayChameleon/pseuds/GrayChameleon
Summary: **FORMERLY "SENSEI WU'S ACADEMY FOR MAGICAL BEINGS"**An unconfirmed deadline, a bounty on his head. He needs to find a pack before he runs out of time, but he'd rather be abandoned than endanger his new friends. However, with traitors at the academy and a trapper with a vendetta against him, sometimes the last thing wanted is the very thing that has to be done.(Story is better than summary, I swear)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As it says in the tags, the literal one reason why I started this was to give me something to do while my betas read my other fic. They're both really busy so that's why updates take so long even though I have up to chapter ten completed for it (also, writer's block). That being said, don't expect this to be amazingly high quality. It's probably gonna take me only a day to write these chapters so a lot of thought isn't going into this (interpreted: I'm not putting tons of effort into this). If it flops, it flops, I'm not gonna be too hurt about it.
> 
> I've talked for too long. Just read, and kudo/comment if you want to
> 
> :)

"You dumbass!" squawked Lloyd as he ducked behind Zane for cover, the ice elf already creating a thick barrier that prevented any of the sparks or loose flames from Kai's newest idea setting them on fire. The incubus stared at the exploding rocket, a loud shriek of excitement tearing its way out of his throat at the obnoxiously loud sound of the explosion.

"It's so big!" he breathed in awe as the grass started on fire, adding to the flames caused from his malfunctioning homemade rocket. Meanwhile, off to the side stood his sister, staring at him with utter disappointment but not at all surprised. She had long given up hope that, as they grew older, he would develop a bit of common sense and a few brain cells, and the testament of the lack of said brain cells and common sense was right before her. Why did her brother have to be so stupid? Why? What had she done in her past life to deserve him as an older brother?

"Sensei's gonna be real mad at us this time," Jay tittered nervously from the branch he was perched upon, his feathered wings of pewter blue opening and closing slowly, further stressing his anxiety about getting caught. "He threatened us a month of cleaning duty if we got in trouble again."

Kai snorted, still watching the blaze grow. "You only get in trouble if you get caught, Jay. And we're not gonna get in trouble. We're his favorite pupils anyways; he wouldn't punish us with a month’s worth of cleaning duty."

"I would not push that, Kai. Sensei may be patient, but even the most sturdy of stones can be worn away by a constant erosive force," Zane warned, still hiding behind his icy shield. “If we continue to disobey, then the punishments will grow in severity until we could one day find ourselves suspended or even expelled.”

Kai scoffed, the flames reflected in his deep red eyes. “He’s not gonna expel us. We’re his favorite kids; what could go wrong?” he repeated.

* * *

Wu sighed and shook his head as he stared at the group before him. “How many times have I warned you five of breaking the rules?”

“Rules are meant to be broken, though,” Kai interrupted with a wicked grin. He was elbowed roughly in the side by his sister, who sent him a scathing glare as she hissed at him to shut up.

“Zane tried to tell him not to, Uncle,” Lloyd spoke up from his position on the elf’s shoulder, having shrunk down to his fairy size of five inches. “But of course Kai didn’t listen. He never does. Unless you bring up a hot person that he wants to bang-”

Wu held a hand up for silence, not wishing to hear anymore. He stroked his beard and said, “I warned you five last time of what would happen if you broke the school rules. And seeing as you have insisted on causing trouble, a month’s worth of cleaning it is.”

“But-!”

“Butts are for sitting,” the headmaster silenced Kai, who looked surprised that their headmaster would actually give them the punishment that he said he’d give them if they acted up again. “Starting today, you each will be responsible for cleaning the entire school.”

“The entire school?” Jay squawked. “But it’s so big.” He pouted, already exhausted with the thought of having to clean the entire school each day for a month.

“You’ll find the cleaning supplies throughout the school. Slack off, and you will be cleaning more than the school. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Sensei,” the group answered at the same time, sullen and sulky. As they turned to leave, Wu held back Zane to speak with him privately.

“I will not be long,” the elf promised the others. Lloyd looked up at Zane and then flew to Kai’s shoulder, wrapping a hand around a frayed string of black thread that had worked its way free of the incubus’s faded jean vest.

Once the door had shut, Zane turned to Sensei and politely asked what was the reason he was being held back. Wu walked around to the other side of his desk, hands clasped behind his back.

“I’ve accepted a new student, but I’m concerned that his presence may...upset a few of the others already here. If you could keep him close and befriend him, that would take away some of the threat of him being bullied.”

Zane raised an eyebrow, a little confused. “You accepted a new pupil at the risk of upsetting some others? Why? And is it best to let him be in the company of people I am acquainted with? We literally just got in trouble for breaking the rules again.”

“None of the others dare mess with you five. Not only is Lloyd my nephew and therefore can take anything that happens directly to me, but you all are the most skilled fighters here at the academy. That alone deters anyone from wanting to anger you. There is safety in numbers, after all, and he would appreciate that greatly.” When Zane still looked slightly puzzled, Wu sighed and opened a door leading into a small waiting room. He spoke a name, and a few moments later a boy with shaggy, black hair and the strangest eyes appeared in the doorway.

Zane’s confusion cleared up immediately as the pieces fell into place.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What even is sleep?

The headmaster looked through Cole's application, making the young ghost wolf demon wait in silence. Next to him his father sipped on his honey lemon tea, the sound slightly out of place in the otherwise quiet office.

The headmaster finally set the folder down and looked up at Cole. "Do you have an anchoring item?"

Cole nodded, and pulled up the left sleeve of his oversized black hoodie. The twisted bracelet was nothing special in appearance, just a snake made of a dark gray metal that wrapped around his wrist, but what it did was tremendous; it kept Cole in a solid human state, as without it, he would become virtually invisible. He couldn't help that he was actually a ghost, but he did his best to never remove the bracelet, passing off as a normal wolf demon for as long as possible. It also masked his scent, hiding what some would sense as a threat but to others would draw them to him like a magnet.

"It also acts as a camouflage for my scent," he added before wondering if that bit of information was even worth mentioning after he'd said it. However, Wu nodded, taking it into consideration.

"There are a few vampires here, I will not lie. Do you still wish to continue?" Cole glanced at his father, who nodded, taking another sip of tea.

"The bracelet will cover everything that is wolf-based. Even full moon transformations will be contained so that he will keep his mind and not go berserk," Lou said. "A few vampires will not bother him." Cole remained quiet, fingers playing with the fraying cuffs of his hoodie as he tried not to think of the scars on his shoulders and back.

"There is a small group I think you will like, Cole. I will not lie, they do like getting into mischief, but they're still fine people. If you would like to, I can introduce you to one of them later today, and he can show you around if you'd like."

"What's the group made of?" Cole asked, still playing with the cuffs of his hoodie.

"A lightning spirit, an ice elf, a fairy, and a set of siblings who are an incubus and succubus. Are any of those a problem?"

Succubi and incubi made Cole a little nervous just because of their excessive thirst and how kinky they could sometimes be, but he figured as long as he wore his anchoring bracelet, they'd leave him alone from asking any sexual favors.

"No, that'll be fine," the ghost wolf said, and Wu nodded. He then motioned for Cole to step into a small room behind his desk, saying it would be a few minutes as him and Lou finished with the final details and then the ice elf would be fetched.

After what was more than a few minutes, Cole started to get worried. Had something happened? Had he been forgotten? He considered opening the door to go back into the office but then paused. Would he get in trouble for leaving the room? He didn't want to get in trouble but he also didn't want to be forgotten.

His ears perked as he suddenly heard voices from the other side. Was this the group Wu had talked about? But he said only one person was to meet Cole and show him around, not the entire squad, and there were many voices. The noise finally faded until it was just two voices remaining.

Cole's nose twitched as he started to pick up on faint traces of snow and frosted mint that was slowly making its way through the door. It was an ice elf Wu had said would be showing him around, so was this them? It certainly smelled like one, or at least what he thought one would smell like as he'd never met one before.

The door finally opened and Wu called for him. Cole stood up and shuffled into the open doorway, pulling the cuffs down over his hands and playing with his fingers within the security of his sleeves. He raised large eyes of a ghostly and translucent green to meet the ice blue gaze of the correctly assumed ice elf, and waited in a nervous silence for someone to say something.

The ice elf turned his head to Wu, saying, "Sensei, he's a wolf demon. Is that wise?"

"Why do you think I am asking you to show him around and to introduce him to the others?" Wu answered before turning to the wolf demon. "Cole, this is Zane. He'll be your guide around the school."

Cole looked back at Zane, and uttered a shy greeting, shoulders unconsciously being pulled into a posture that was an attempt to make himself appear smaller.

"You'll be safe with us. I assume Sensei has already told you about there being vampire presence here?" Zane clarified, and Cole nodded.

"They won't attack...will they?" he asked, still fidgeting with his fingers. Zane smiled warmly and shook his head at the question.

"As long as you stay close to one of us, you'll be fine. The vampires avoid making us upset, as Kai's wrath alone is enough to scare them off," the ice elf said. He then turned to Wu and asked permission to leave so he could show Cole the school. Permission was granted, and elf and wolf started out of the office.

"Who's Kai?" Was Cole's first question as the pair started to the classrooms. "Is he really that scary?"

"Terrifying only when mad. He has a lot of energy and gets us into trouble quite frequently, but also an excellent fighter. He's an incubus, and he has a little sister, Nya. She's more self-controlled and stops and thinks, unlike him."

"She's a succubus, then?"

Zane nodded, pausing from a rundown of the squad to explain which classrooms were which. Once they were done with that and headed to the dorms, Zane continued.

"Then there's Jay. Cheeky and well-meaning, but likes to talk. Lloyd is Sensei Wu's nephew, another thing that will help the vampires keep away from you."

Cole nodded, then was shown to an empty room in the dorms. Zane explained that this would be Cole's, and that if he needed anything to go right across the hall to where Zane's room was.

"Do whatever to make it feel comfortable for you. Are you ready to meet the others?" Zane asked, already turning away.

"I guess," Cole said unsuredly.

They made their way out to a courtyard, where a single table was occupied by four people. It was a normal conversation until the boy with spiky brown hair with no transition swung a leg onto the table with a slam.

"Look at my new boots!" he dramatically and loudly announced, proudly showing off a glossy black heeled boot. The girl next to him stared at it for a few moments before slowly turning to face him, drawling, "Are those my fishnets you're wearing?"

The boy stuck his tongue out at her, sweetly saying, "You can't blame me for wearing something that flatters my legs, dear sister. Besides, you hardly wear them anyways." Cole then realized that they must be the siblings Kai and Nya.

A boy with short russet hair sitting across from them coughed and said, "He's kinda right, Nya. Fishnets aren't quite your style. Maybe sheer thigh highs instead?"

"I guess," she mumbled, still glaring at the fishnets her brother wore.

Before the conversation could go any further, a small boy with blonde hair turned and caught sight of Cole and Zane. His pale gold wings, fairy-like in delicacy, started to open and close as he excitedly asked the ice elf, "Is this the new kid?"

"Everyone, meet Cole. Cole, this is Kai, Jay, Nya, and Lloyd." Zane pointed to each person as he said their name, and Cole gave a small wave.

"Don't worry about those nasty vampires. You'll be safe under our protection," Lloyd said after Zane gave a crash course in why Cole was tagging along. The wolf demon smiled faintly and softly whispered, "Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda rushed the ending cuz my fingers are hurting so whoops about that
> 
> Thanks for reading, feel free to kudo/comment if you want to, and I'll catch you all next time
> 
> :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I've been busy today, it's just I had a bit of time to write this morning and now I'm wrapping it up, so yeah
> 
> Thank you for the kudos and comments so far, it makes me happy to see that :D

Over the next few days, Kai found Cole to be adorable. His eyes were always so large when he was spoken to, lifting them up from whatever book he was reading or sketch he was working on to softly answer, and he always tried to make himself look smaller, deciding to hide in dark, loose clothing even though he was an inch or two shorter than Zane, who was six feet, five inches. Everything he did was endearingly soft and cute, and although he seemed a little spooked every now and then if the squad became too loud, he just smiled, shook his head, and said he was fine when asked if he was alright.

Fuck, the most notorious incubus at the academy, the no-strings-attached Kai, was developing a crush. And he'd be damned if he wasn't going to try and seduce the incredibly introverted demon.

"Are you wearing makeup?" Lloyd pointed out one morning, staring at the incubus's face done with tasteful eyeshadow and eyeliner that was more on fleek than what most females could pull off.

"Makeup isn't just for girls, Lloyd. Boys can wear it too," Kai answered. "Just like skirts and tights. If girls can wear pants, then boys can wear skirts."

"And you painted your nails," Cole observed, blinking once at the incubus's black nails with a dark red accent nail with gold designs.

"Damn right I did. Do I look good?" Kai leaned forward and rested his cheek in the palm of his left hand, a sly smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, desperately wanting Cole to look at him and realize how gorgeous he looked.

Cole paused once more in the sketch he was working on, still early on in the design process, and looked up. His translucent green eyes flitted across Kai's face, then the wolf demon finally said, "I guess so. Personally, I'm not a fan of makeup in general, but you pull it off well." Then he went back to his sketch, leaving Kai feeling slightly wounded and changing tactics.

"Who are you trying to impress?" Nya asked the following morning, eyeing Kai's outfit suspiciously. Kai faked a melodramatic gasp and put a fingerless gloved hand to his chest, making a face of surprised hurt.

“Can I not dress the way I want to without it being interpreted as me trying to seduce someone?” he came back, running his hand down the front of his body, drawing attention to the tight and short shirt he was wearing with a black leather vest thrown over top of it. When Nya raised an eyebrow at him, her face set into a look of unamusement, he leaned forward and pouted, sullenly admitting, “You got me.”

“Who is it this time?” Jay piped up, sipping on a box of apple juice.

“Lloyd.”

“Whomst has summoned me?” Lloyd dragged himself out of the conversation him and Cole were having, more than likely something about art.

“Kai has a crush on you.” Jay stared at the fairy with enormous owl-like blue eyes. Lloyd turned to Kai and said, “Dude, we’ve talked about this.”

“Aces,” the incubus pouted. “You’re immune to my charm and I don’t like it.”

“Not my fault I was born like this.”

“I don’t get it. What did that all mean?” Cole looked a little confused.

“Ace, an abbreviation for asexual. I don’t experience any sexual feelings or desires, so to incubi and succubi I’m a threat because I’m immune to their advances,” the fairy explained as he adjusted the daisy flower crown on his head. “I’m also aromantic, so romantic love’s out of the question for me.”

“What does that even feel like?”

Lloyd thought for a moment, trying to come up with a good way of explaining it. “Okay, so you know the feeling of when someone likes you in a ‘I wanna date you’ way but you don’t return the feeling?”

“Like a one-sided crush?”

“Yeah, like that. That’s how it feels, except you feel that way towards everyone. No exceptions whatsoever.”

“So, if Kai knows this, then why does he still have a crush on you?”

“Because the kid’s adorable as hell and he’s so sweet and gentle and caring and what is there  _ not _ to love about him? He wears a daisy flower crown everyday; that has to say something about him,” Kai said, still in full pout mode.

“If you have a thing for fairies, I’m not the only one here. Go hit on one of the others; I’m sure you can bed them in no time at all,” Lloyd returned sarcastically. “By the way, how long do you last? I’ve only heard rumors that the only thing that could beat you is an actual sex god, but I doubt that.”

“I came out here to have a good time, and honestly I’m feeling so attacked right now,” Kai said, looking at everyone gathered at the table. He finally realized they were down one person, and asked, “Has anyone seen Zane?”

"I think he said he was training. And honestly, we should too," Jay said, playing with a stray feather that had come free from his wings.

"Training? For what?"

"My dear wolf, it's one of the reasons why Sensei decided to put you with us. We're the best fighters here at the academy.”

* * *

Zane leaped away from the dummy’s swinging arms, avoiding the falling battleax. He threw his shurikens, a rather unusual weapon for an elf, and ice started to cover the dummy, halting its movements. A slow clap from the door had him looking over his shoulder, and he saw Jay leading the rest of the gang. The lightning spirit was the one doing the slow clap, and he stepped into the training room.

“That was nice and all, but you still can’t beat a good ole pair of nunchucks,” he announced as he started over to where a pair of said nunchucks were hung up on a wall. He pulled them down and gave them a few spins, ending with by swinging them over his shoulder and grabbing the free end from under his arm. A crooked grin split his face, and he said invitingly to Zane, “Attack me. Let’s show Cole that we’re as good of fighters as we say we are.”

“Is this with or without magic?” Zane replied, retrieving his shurikens from the frozen dummy.

“Cole, what do you say?”

Eyes turned to the wolf demon, who stuttered after a moment, “W-w-without.” Jay and Zane turned back to face each other once more, each smirking as they assumed battle stances. Then, as if on a silent signal, they lunged forwards.

“They’re not even trying,” Nya whispered to Cole as the lightning spirit and ice elf battled. “They’re just playing patty cake with each other.”

Cole stared with huge eyes, watching the complex moves the two were showing off and wondering how this wasn’t them trying. But if this was essentially a warmup, then he was intrigued to see them when they had to try and use one hundred percent of what they had.

“Wait, where’s Jay?” The wolf suddenly realized that the spirit had suddenly vanished, and Zane was now circling in his place, twirling his shurikens as his eyes darted around the room. There was what seemed to be a glitch come from the left peripheral of Cole’s vision, but when he turned nothing was there.

Zane screeched as Jay suddenly materialized behind him, using his wings to propel him into the elf’s back at a high speed and sent him tumbling forward. Jay smirked as Zane somersaulted onto his feet and spun around, the tip of his shoe dragging around in a circle and causing frost to spread from where he had touched the floor.

“Now things are getting  _ good _ ,” Kai said to Cole, the incubus clearly excited at watching two of his best friends duke it out just to prove their worth of being the new kid’s protector. “This is when they start getting serious, and shit starts to happen. I love watching these two fight, because it always turns out so pretty.”

“You have me a little concerned about you,” Cole admitted as he continued to watch the fight. Kai grinned crookedly and answered in a voice that was heavy in a smirk, “How cute, you being concerned about me. I appreciate it.”

Zane and Jay continued to fight, the levels of ozone and cold gradually building. It made Cole’s sensitive nose begin to burn, but he kept quiet about his complaints. At one point, the elf and spirit lunged for each other and their weapons crossed. From where their weapons connected, what looked like a large disk of ice with a jagged design of dark blue lightning exploded into existence. It flung the opponents apart and rumbled so loudly that the entire room shook, almost bringing everyone to their knees.

“And they still weren’t trying that hard for that to happen,” Lloyd commented as Zane and Jay called a truce and started towards the rest of the group. “It’s a common thing for that to happen when those two are sparring. Called a  _ techno shield _ or whatever they decided to name it.”

“Does that happen with everyone?” Cole asked, curious and intrigued.

“Only those with elemental powers like Jay and Zane. I kind of can, but it’s hard, being a fairy and all. Once I did it, and I ended up unable to change from fairy form for about a week straight. I haven’t done it since. It’s mostly those two who do it,” Lloyd said. “Do you know how to fight, Cole?”

Cole felt uncomfortable being under the gaze of so many people, and his answer came out in a soft mumble.

“What was that?” Nya tried, and Cole repeated his answer a little louder, feeling a little ashamed after seeing what two of his new friends were capable of doing without trying.

“I can, but I’m not very good at it. I’d rather not fight if I can avoid it.”

“We can teach you,” Kai volunteered very enthusiastically. “We’ll find you the right weapon, then turn you into a badass like the rest of us!”

“Wait what.”

But it was unanimous, Cole was to be trained and turned into a fighting machine like the rest of them.

* * *

After fulfilling their duty of cleaning the school, Nya retreated to her room. Opening the door, she found Skylor lounging on her bed, the demon of amber laying on her stomach and flipping through the pages of a magazine.

“Long day?” the redhead asked as she looked up from the magazine. Nya nodded and trudged over to the bed, stripping her shirt and shorts off and throwing them to a corner. She kicked her flats off before flopping onto the bed, burying her face into a pillow.

“Do you want to play UNO?” Skylor asked, closing the magazine and placing a hand against the nape of the succubus’s neck, fingers beginning to lightly massage into the sides.

“The usual version, or our version?” Nya mumbled, turning her head. Skylor brushed her bangs out of her eyes and kissed her forehead.

“Our version, of course,” her girlfriend answered, already pulling out the deck from the top drawer of the nightstand that was to the left of Nya’s bed. “Unless you want to risk our relationship by playing the normal way.” Nya sat up, smiling.

“I love you too much to risk that,” she said, leaning forward to kiss Skylor on the lips. As she did that, Nya snuck a hand forward and snatched the pack of UNO cards out of Skylor’s hand.

“I’m shuffling.” The red-eyed girl smirked, which earned herself an eye roll but good-humored smile from Skylor.

They played two out of three, Skylor winning the first and third rounds. After her second loss, Nya pouted and flicked a Draw 4 card from the pile at Skylor. The redhead smirked and held it between two fingertips, saying slyly, “You know the rule when one of these shows up.” Nya rolled her eyes but leaned forward anyways, unable to deny her adorable girlfriend.

As per the rule when a Draw 4 card was played, instead of four cards being drawn, four kisses were required from the person who played it. They could be as soft, hard, fast, or long as the giver wanted, with the only rule to that being they had to be on the lips.

“Why so skimpy all of a sudden on the kisses?” Skylor asked as Nya flopped onto her back, who had decided to give her four short yet sweet kisses.

“As much as I love you, Sky, I’m tired,” the succubus answered, voice betraying how exhausted she actually was. “Like, I’m gonna start falling asleep pretty soon.”

Skylor tugged back the sheets and managed to get Nya’s body under the covers before sliding beneath them herself. She brushed back the short black bangs and pressed another kiss to Nya’s forehead.

“Alright, I understand. Get some sleep,” she murmured, stroking the succubus’s hair. Nya’s eyes closed, and soon she was drifting off, lulled to sleep by Skylor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to be honest, I do not often write LGBTQA+ characters, so if something is inaccurate or not correct, please let me know with suggestions on how to write it better so I can change it and get it fixed as quickly as possible. If I do end up making a mistake, I am sorry, but like I just said, please let me know if I do and how to correct it.
> 
> I will say this right now, there probably won't be a chapter tomorrow, but who knows. In the meantime, kudo/comment if you want to, and I'll catch y'all next time


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yooo I'm back :)

“We’re done with our punishment of cleaning the school!” Kai yelled at the top of his lungs late at night after they’d cleaned the school for the last time for their punishment, still wearing the large bright yellow rubber gloves as he punched the air with both hands. He let out a wordless whoop, shucking the gloves off to the side as he raced to wash them, Jay and Lloyd hot on his trail.

"I don't know why it was such a big deal," Cole wondered as he helped Zane and Nya wipe down the cleaning supplies before returning them to their spots in the cupboards. "I found it rather enjoyable and therapeutic." Even though he was technically pardoned from helping to clean the school as he hadn't been considered a part of the squad when their punishment was assigned, he did so anyways, feeling it wasn't right that they all had to but he had the choice of not doing it.

"It really wasn't that bad," Nya agreed as the trio started back to the dorms, trekking across the dark grounds. She and Zane paused once they realized Cole was no longer with them, and they turned around to see him standing still, face turned upwards to the moon.

"This probably should go without saying, but I'm...not gonna be available tomorrow," the wolf demon uttered, still staring at the swollen moon. He turned his head, and the way the pale light caught in his eyes made them seem more like clouded pieces of vesuvianite, eerie and blank.

"Of course, we understand," Zane assured him, and Cole cracked a small smile, turning back to the moon for a few moments more before joining them once again.

Whenever they reached their rooms, Zane was the first to open his door and found Kai, Jay, and Lloyd in the throes of an intense pillow fight. Their freshly showered hair was sticking up at all angles as they ruthlessly smacked each other with the closest available pillows, and Kai and Jay teamed up to bring down Lloyd, who squawked and disappeared beneath them with flailing limbs.

Cole watched with owl eyes, but Zane merely sighed and proceeded to enter his room, clearly accustomed to this. Nya disappeared to her own after exchanging a few final words with Cole, who let himself into Zane's room and shut the door, wanting to avoid waking up too much of the hall.

"Come on, Cole!" Jay called cheerfully as he flopped onto Kai, pinning the incubus beneath him. "Join us!"

"I'd rather not," the wolf declined politely, still standing awkwardly by the door as he took in the decor of Zane's room. The walls were painted a pale gray, the carpet thick and a deeper shade of gray. On what used to be a neat and tidy full-sized bed was a plush throw blanket, white with a snowy landscape at night. The rest of the furniture was a shade of gray in between the paleness of the walls and the darkness of the carpet.

"Please, Cole? You're too tense and you need to relax and chill," Jay pleaded, who was now sitting back on his heels and beating a pillow repeatedly over Kai's head, legs straddling the incubus's waist. "We need to even out the teams, and you look weird just standing there. C'mon, take your shoes off and stay awhile."

Cole didn't move at first, but then finally did so, toeing his worn canvas sneakers off and stepping across to the bed. He felt like he was committing some kind of crime, crawling onto the bed still covered in the day's filth while the other three boys were clean and dressed in soft pajamas, Lloyd in loose pants and a tee shirt, Jay basketball shorts and a tanktop, and Kai in high-waisted shorts.

"You can be with me," Lloyd said, tossing Cole a pillow. "Let's beat these guys."

Zane emerged from the bathroom after a shower to see his usually perfectly neat bed wrecked and four boys tusseling, pillows forgotten on the floor as they were locked in a wrestling match. Cole had somehow managed to win against all three of them, and it was the first time the wolf demon's face was clear of any stress or anxiety, eyes bright and shining as he rolled off the pile with a laugh. His hoodie was gone, dropped on the floor as well, and the ice elf blinked as he realized that this was the first time he'd ever seen Cole's forearms. He didn't know what he was expecting, but he wasn't expecting to see thick muscles and prominent veins, but Zane wondered why he would have thought differently when it made the most sense he'd be a bit more on the muscular side if he was a wolf demon.

"Dude, I didn't think you'd be buff." Apparently Kai thought the same thing as he eyed Cole's exposed arms. It made the black-haired boy flush and lower his head, mumbling "But I'm not" under his breath, still shy.

Zane dropped the clothes he'd worn during the day into the hamper that was right outside the bathroom door before joining the others on his bed. He caught sight of a dark gray snake bracelet coiled around Cole's left wrist, and had a suspicion on what it was. However, Lloyd was the one inquiring about it.

"What's that?" the fairy asked, pointing to the bracelet. Cole looked down at his wrist, fingers tracing the scaly curves for a moment in silence.

"It's a stabilizer, something to make sure I don't lose my mind and go berserk during full moon transformations. It keeps me sane,  _ human _ , so I don't accidentally kill anyone. It also masks my scent to avoid unwanted attention from vampires and others."

"Who would be the 'others', then?" Zane questioned. Cole fell silent once more, gaze fixed on a snow-covered rock that was part of the throw blanket's design, then spoke a single word: "Alphas."

And then, crickets.

"Why do you want to mask yourself from the alphas? Are they dangerous? Did you piss one off so now you gotta be in hiding?"

But it was Kai who silenced the questions with one of his own. "Are you an omega?"

Cole stared at the incubus for a moment before cracking a grin. He started giggling, to which everyone exchanged concerned glances with each other from the corners of their eyes, but then he was gathering his composure once more, still fighting the traces of a smile.

“God no, I’m not an omega. I’d need something else designed just for that to mask my scent, as this”-he raised his left hand a little-“wouldn’t be enough to cut it. But since I’m a beta, I can get away with just the stabilizer.”

“Why do you want to avoid the alphas, though? I thought betas and alphas get along decently well?” Jay piped up, and Cole made a face, pressing his lips together and then pulling the corners of his mouth back as he stared at his knee with big eyes.

“I mean, most cases that’s true, but alphas can get stupidly territorial. You can’t necessarily blame them because they’re just doing what they’re supposed to be doing and protecting their pack, but at the same time it can get a little excessive like damn, chill.” Cole sighed and tugged at his bangs. “But like everyone else, alphas come in a huge variation. Most assume that all alphas are tall and strong and radiate authority and stuff, but that’s not always the case. I’ve met a few alphas that were small and uncertain and sure they had a pack but it wasn’t run on their domination alone; it was more like a democracy, it’s just that when it came to voting if the alpha pair voted first then typically it’d only take two more for the decision to be made. Anyone else, and it would take about ten for the group to do it.” Cole sighed. “Those are my favorite types of alphas, the softer ones. They’re cute, although they’ll come for your ass if you say that to their face.”

“Is there just one generic wolf type, or are there different ones? Sorry for all the questions, but we’ve never really been taught about wolf demons other than the basic, generic stuff,” Lloyd said, grabbing a pillow and hugging it against his chest.

“There’s a variety of wolf demons, but I’m not really the best person to be asking about those. I’m sure the library has books on wolf demons, though; they’ll probably be able to give you better answers than what I could,” Cole replied. He glanced at the clock and was shocked to see that it was almost two in the morning. He quickly excused himself so he could go shower and sleep, saying he needed as much rest as possible to get him through the full moon the following night. The four other boys nodded and said good night, and Cole slipped into the hallway and padded over to his door, pulling out the key needed to unlock it.

Once he was inside, he locked the five locks he had installed shortly after moving in, more as a safety precaution during transformations than anything, ensuring there was no way for anyone to get in by accident or if they only had one key.

He stared at the handle in the shower, reluctant to touch it and turn it on. He knew logically he was fine because he had his anchoring bracelet on and was therefore safe from dissipation, but there was still a nagging what if in the back of his head. He knew he was psyching himself out and that as soon as he got in and started washing the anxiety would be washed away, but it still made him nervous. He took a final exhale and turned it on, settling on a slightly warm temperature.

He slid beneath the streaming water, and felt the usual relief of not vanishing in two seconds. Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes and just stood there, thinking back to the conversation he had with the other boys. Unconsciously his hand drifted to the long chain he wore around his neck, something he kept hidden beneath his shirt. It had a flat metal circle connected to it at the very bottom, two wolf teeth on either side of it. It wasn’t special in appearance, but it was almost as important as the anchoring bracelet.

Cole hadn’t wanted to lie to his friends, but he also didn’t want them to know certain things about him quite yet. It was still too early and he didn’t want to scare them off, because he genuinely liked them and wanted to remain friends with them. Maybe after a few more months he’d tell them, but not yet.

He finished his shower and dried off, changing into a pair of sleep pants and a large shirt. He climbed under the sheets and buried his face in his pillow, curled on his side. He felt something press against his back in a gesture of comfort and reassurance, and Cole smiled. He returned the gesture and surrendered to sleep, knowing he’d be safe in the company of his ever-present companion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me: Says this is a plotless mess  
Also me: Is starting to create a plot
> 
> Cheap suspense is cheap. I don't even know what happened when it got to the longass paragraph post-pillow fight. I honestly don't
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudo/comment if you want to, and I'll catch y'all with the next update :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I. Need. To. Find. Something. More. Productive. To. Do. Than. Just. Write. I didn't mean to get two chapters out in one day like this. It just happened.
> 
> This one's weird just because of how different it is just throughout it. And talk about the cheap suspense lasting for long heheheh it didn't cuz most of it gets solved in this chapter anyways, whoops.
> 
> But hey, this starts to plot towards the end of the chapter :D

Kai wasn’t paying attention to the lecture, choosing instead to doodle in the margins of his paper. Lips with a lollipop, a neck with bite marks, clawed hands dripping with some kind of liquid, whatever he felt like doodling. He didn’t care if they were good, he was just bored and needed something to do.

He felt the gaze of someone resting on the back of his neck, and he turned his head to meet the black gaze of Shade. The incubus smirked, snagging his lower lip with an incisor tooth, and dropped a sultry wink. The phantom’s cheeks darkened in what was his version of a blush, and he dropped his gaze back down to his desk.

Kai twisted his head to stare at Misako, who was glaring right at him. “Would you care to rejoin the class, Kai?” she asked pointedly, and he gave her a lopsided grin and coolly answered, “Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather be planning my lunch. I think I’m gonna have a really nice, thick piece of meat. And I’m talking meat that is so succulent and juicy that it melts in your mouth. When it’s like that…” He did a chef’s kiss. “It’s perfect. And of course you can’t have meat without mashed potatoes. And the only proper way to have mashed potatoes is for them to be thick and creamy.” He grinned, swiping his tongue around his lips as he leaned forward, resting his cheek in his hand. “I would love to rejoin class now.”

He found himself sitting in Wu’s office, watching the older man pour himself yet another cup of tea. It was the third one since Kai had been dropped off by an unimpressed Misako, who had pointedly ignored the furiously blushing Shade on the way out the door, and no words had been spoken yet. Whenever the headmaster finally finished it, he set the cup down and looked at the incubus with a sigh.

“Kai-”

“I can’t help it, Sensei!” Kai blurted out, almost throwing himself out of his seat. “I’m a creature that thrives off sex and seduction by nature, so of course it’s gonna happen! It’s not my fault that Shade was checking me out!”

“I’m sure it wasn’t,” Wu deadpanned even as he analyzed Kai’s outfit, the choice of clothing clearly meant to entice and lure in potential victims.

Kai slouched back in the seat, pouting. “It’s not like I actively went out of my way to seduce Shade. The one time it’s an accident is the one time I get in trouble for it. Go figure.”

“Maybe if you tried dressing a little more modestly, you wouldn’t find yourself in these situations. Or if you had a sealer, perhaps it would tone down your aura so that you wouldn’t be stared at so often.”

“It’s not like I don’t already have one, but it’s too uncomfortable and I don’t like wearing it,” the incubus said, still pouting. “It’s too tight and heavy, and I don’t know where to get a new one. Not like I could afford one anyways.”

“Weren’t you and your sister blacksmiths once?”

Kai snorted, slowly sitting up. “Yeah, once. That’s been ages ago, and it wouldn’t take care of the entire thing.”

“Cole and Lloyd are both good with fine details, aren’t they?”

The incubus nodded slowly, starting to realize what Sensei was saying. “Are you suggesting I make my own?”

A single blink was the only answer he received.

Kai launched himself out of the chair with a whoop. “Sensei, you’re a genius! But I still don’t want to wear a sealer, though.”

“If it’s comfortable and well-designed, you may change your mind about that.”

Kai grinned and raced to the door before slowing down. “I won’t be able to talk to Cole about this today, will I? Not with it being the full moon tonight.”

Wu sighed. “Patience, Kai. Patience.”

* * *

Lloyd walked into the library, one book in particular on his mind. Last night’s conversation with Cole about wolf demons still had him curious, and he wanted to find out more about them as well as more information on stabilizers. He knew that it was rather common for those with certain abilities would often use locks or sealers as a way to control their powers, but he’d never heard of a stabilizer before.

He headed for the section dedicated to wolf demons, and pulled out the first book he saw. Taking it to a nearby table, he turned the lamp on and pulled the chair out. It was dusty (all the books in the particular section he was in were), and he brushed it off. He opened to the table of contents, browsing to see which sounded the most interesting.

It was divided into parts. The first part was labeled  _ BASIC _ , the second  _ ELEMENTAL _ , and the third  _ SPIRIT-BASED _ . Lloyd slid a finger to the page number where the third part began, and flipped to the page. He began to read, starting with the section about celestial wolf demons, those who embodied qualities of the stars and planets. Pictures were included of the average wolf form, and Lloyd stared at how gorgeous they were. The sun wolves were a vibrant orange with creamy chests and bellies, their eyes fiery amber. The moon wolves were the opposite, solid black with eyes of liquid silver and fangs sharp like a winter’s blizzard. Galaxy wolves were smaller than the moon wolves, with fur colored dark shades of purple and blue and with pretty amethyst-colored eyes.

Lloyd slowly turned to the next page, finding himself staring at a page labeled  _ Ghost Wolf _ . Interest peaked, he read through the paragraphs, unlike skipping through the previous pages like he had.

What he found curious was that there was no description of the wolf form. And what slightly alarmed him was a line that read:  _ Due to their invisible and high levels of stealth and quiet, ghost wolf demons are commonly used as assassins. _ Then he relaxed, knowing that his uncle wouldn’t let a ghost wolf join the school…

_ Ghost wolf demons commonly wear ‘anchoring items’ to maintain a human form. If they are unable to hide it, they may claim it is a sealer or a stabilizer. It can either be a necklace, bracelet, ring, or another piece of jewelry. For more information on anchoring items, see page 1246. _

Lloyd flipped to the page, eyes darting around until he found it. There was a short description about them with a few pictures, and one of them happened to be a snake bracelet.

Similar to the one Cole had been wearing the previous night.

* * *

Wu just wanted one. Day. To not see Kai in his office for one reason or another. He was a good kid, just incredibly prone to mischief that usually landed him in the office for a talk that both of them knew wasn’t going to change the young incubus’s ways. He got on all of his teachers’ nerves, liked to use his incubus powers at the worst possible time, had a fondness for breaking rules, and pouting when he didn’t get his way.

“Uncle!” The door was flung open, causing Wu to spill his tea all over his desk. He looked up at a frantic Lloyd, who slammed a large book down in front of him. He opened the book to a page and pointed at it.

“Why did you let a ghost wolf join the school?” Lloyd all but yelled, tapping furiously at the line that mentioned how they were often used as assassins. His fairy wings were opening and closing at such fast speeds Wu wondered how his nephew wasn’t being launched into the ceiling, but withheld the comment.

“Could you shut the door, please?”

Lloyd did so, then returned with an upset look on his face. “Why let something so dangerous into a place like this? Aren’t you worried about us at all?”

Wu sighed, closing the book. “Of course I am, it’s just that this one was a special case.”

“How special can it be if it puts the whole school at jeopardy? The vampires are already pissed that there’s a wolf in general here now, but what if they knew he was a  _ ghost _ wolf demon? They’d kill him!”

“If you fear for the school’s safety, then why are you so frightened at the thought of the vampires killing Cole?”

Lloyd stopped, and he suddenly looked as if he was reconsidering the whole argument. “Is...is that why you put him with us?”

Wu sighed. “There are several reasons I chose to put him with you and the others. Yes, one of them is that, to make sure the vampires don’t go after him. Another reason is so that I can keep my eye on him indirectly through you. Third, ghost wolves are dying. There are so few left because people panic when they realize they have a ghost wolf in their midst because of what they used to be.”

“Used to be?” Lloyd echoed, still confused.

“It’s true, they were trained to be assassins at one point, but once they were figured out, massive hunts for them took place. The ones who escaped sought refuge in a place only ghost wolf demons and their packs can access. It’s a portal, guarded by a parent of the ghost wolf demons.”

“Who was the parent? Why don’t they just make more ghost wolves if they’re a dying breed?”

“It’s a little hard to create more if the other half was killed. The remaining parent, Pangur, or as the ghost wolves call him, Pangur Bán, almost died himself by the hands of the same hunters who killed her. He now hides in a cave that contains the portal to where most of the ghost wolves reside. Only if you are a part of a ghost wolf’s pack and the alpha or their mate has implored Pangur to grant them access can you cross to the other side.”

Lloyd sat down, needing a moment to absorb all the new information. After a little while of silence, the fairy finally asked, “If all the other ghost wolf demons are in that other place, then why is Cole still here?”

“I do not know. That is something you would have to ask for yourself.” Wu took a sip of his tea. “But do not approach him about it. If he has not told you himself, then it is obvious he didn’t want you to know. After all, that’s why we keep secrets, is it not?”

“I guess so. But what do I tell the others?”

“Nothing. Let him tell them that on his own time. He has only been here for a month, and is still very new to this place. And besides, it’s the full moon tonight.”

“What does that even look like?”

Wu shrugged, then told Lloyd to return the book and reminded him not to tell anyone what he had discovered about Cole.

* * *

Cole sat nude on the floor in his room, window curtains open to let the light of the full moon in once it reached that point. Across from him sat Vukasin, his ever-present companion. The wolf’s eyes were cloudy green like Cole’s, a sign that they still had yet to find a pack. Once they established one, their eyes would be cleared and replaced with a deep, vibrant green color and black pupils. But until then, iris and pupil were the same cloudy green.

“What do you think of it here?” Cole asked Vukasin softly, reaching a hand to scratch behind his ear. The wolf closed his eyes and leaned into the touch, letting out a rumble that to those not a ghost wolf would understand as just that, a rumble, but Cole heard otherwise.

“ _ You ask me that every night, _ ” Vukasin answered, voice quiet yet deep.

“And every night I want an answer.”

“ _ When my answer changes, I will tell you. _ ” He got up and moved closer to Cole, resting his muzzle on top of the boy’s head. “ _ But yes, I think it is still nice here. _ ”

Cole smiled, fingers brushing the wolf’s thick silvery-white fur streaked with pale green. “I think the others would like you. I’m just sad they can’t see you.”

“ _ They’d probably think you mad if you said you had a wolf companion who was invisible but always there, _ ” Vukasin commented dryly. He pulled his head away and pressed his forehead to Cole’s. “ _ The moon is almost there. You have the anchoring bracelet, yes? _ ”

“Never take it off,” the boy breathed. He pulled away and looked out the window to the moon, watching it creep ever so slowly into view. As soon as it completely bathed Cole’s body in its silver light, his form began to glow silver as it shifted into the shape of a wolf.

It was a slow process, a painful process. Nails and teeth lengthened into claws and fangs. His bones and flesh hurt as his body structure was forced to change, the fine hair along his skin growing and thickening, changing colors until it was a color similar to Vukasin’s. The anchoring bracelet and necklace he wore both expanded and changed to fit his new form, and even though it felt almost instantaneous, Cole knew that it had taken at least ten minutes for the change.

He curled up at Vukasin’s front paws, huffing in impatience. He knew it was better to be stable during full moons, but it was boring. He hadn’t even thought to crack open the window a little, a decision he now regretted as the air in the room started to become stale.

“ _ Why so impatient, Cole? _ ” Vukasin rumbled as he laid down next to Cole, who huffed again and turned away, sulking.

“ _ I’m bored, _ ” he answered. “ _ There’s nothing to do during a stable full moon. _ ”

“ _ Would you rather go berserk and murder everyone at the academy, including your friends? _ ”

Cole shook his head, ears twitching as he heard footsteps and voices coming down the hall. Lifting his head, he recognized the voices belonging to Jay and Zane. He rose to his feet and trotted to the door, sitting down and looking up at it. All the locks were secure, but that didn’t stop Cole from pawing at the door and letting out a little whine as he picked up their scents.

“Cole? Is that you, buddy?” Jay asked, right outside the door. Cole let out a little happy yip, tail stirring behind him like an excited domesticated dog.

Fingers carrying the lightning spirit’s scent slipped beneath the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door, and Cole pressed his nose to them. He could feel Vukasin’s gaze staring a hole right into him for behavior that was going to get him teased, but at the moment Cole didn’t care.

“Hello, Cole,” Zane murmured. Fingers longer and paler than Jay’s slipped beneath the door as well, and Cole pressed his nose against them, inhaling the scents of frosted mint and winter that had become familiar over the course of the past month.

“Kai got in trouble again, but is that a big surprise? He’s  _ always _ in trouble,” Jay said, and Cole snorted in amusement. He’d have to ask for details tomorrow, as this sounded interesting.

The two on the other side of the door talked loosely about their day, and Cole listened to every word. Maybe next full moon he’d forgo being alone and instead with them. He was stable, he was safe, so why not?

Jay and Zane finally said goodbye to Cole and went their separate ways. Cole turned to see Vukasin watching with amusement glimmering in his eyes. Cole padded back over, snorting, “ _ What? _ ”

“ _ You’ve become tame, _ ” the other wolf commented.

“ _ I’m also stable and not berserk. If I was berserk, I wouldn’t have done that, _ ” Cole reminded him.

“ _ Because it’s hard to be with someone when they’re dead with their throat ripped out and their blood staining your fur. _ ”

“ _ Not what I want to hear right now, Vukasin, _ ” Cole complained, circling around and settling back down on the floor. “ _ Let’s talk about positive things, okay? _ ”

The two conversed about casual things until the sun started rising, replacing the blue and black of night with pink and yellow. Cole glanced out the window again, and it took another ten minutes for him to return back to human.

He dressed and made himself look somewhat presentable for the day, dressed in his usual sneakers and hoodie with a pair of nicer jeans. He unlocked all the locks and glanced at Vukasin, who followed him out the open door.

“So Kai got in trouble again yesterday, huh? Somehow that does not surprise me,” Cole said as he coincidentally met up with Zane. They started down the hallway, Zane filling him in on all the details.

“Of course, Kai will tell it differently, but yes, that is what happened,” the ice elf said as they made their way into the dining hall, where everyone else was already getting their breakfast. They met up with Lloyd and Nya, but strangely enough Jay and Kai weren’t there.

“So none of you have seen either of them today?” Lloyd asked as they got their food and headed outside to the usual table. He frowned into his tea, murmuring “That’s odd” under his breath as he let it soak.

Cole glanced down to where Vukasin usually was, but was surprised to not see him there. He then looked around the area, even standing up, but no sight of him was to be found. He ignored the questions asking if he was okay, focusing on sipping his coffee. He was anxious every time Vukasin disappeared without saying a word, and he began to fidget with the cuffs of his hoodie, pulling them down over his hands and nervously toying with his fingers beneath the table.

“ _ Cole! _ ” Vukasin’s howl jerked his head up while Nya, Zane, and Lloyd jumped at the sudden howl, assuming it was just a random wolf, although why a wolf would be howling in the bright morning was beyond them.

Any other situation, Cole would’ve tried to come up with an excuse to get into the woods to meet with Vukasin privately, but not with two of his friends’ lives in potential danger. And judging from the tone of Vukasin’s howl, it was urgent.

The ghost wolf demon launched himself out of his seat, throwing all care of what his friends thought about him to the side. He raced to Vukasin, who was barreling towards him with a strip of bright blue cloth in his mouth.

“ _ Smell, _ ” Vukasin ordered, allowing Cole to remove the cloth. The part that wasn’t covered in saliva he pressed to his nose. He was overwhelmed with Jay’s electric scent and underneath that Kai’s, but there was another smell. One a combination of leather and metal and oil and blood.

Cole stared at Vukasin as he recognized the smell from long ago, a smell that brought back memories of cages and silver and pain, and Vukasin’s understanding was reflected in his eyes.

“Trappers,” Cole whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Pangur Bán is actually the name of an Irish poem dating from the ninth century that's about a cat, but I rediscovered The Secret of Kells and so I'm drawing inspiration from that Pangur. Even though this Pangur Bán is a wolf instead of a cat. And there is a reason why which will be explained at some point in a later chapter.
> 
> My fingers are cramping, so I'm gonna call it quits on writing for the rest of the day. There may be a new chapter tomorrow, maybe not, who knows. Now that I have a plot formulated, updates will probably slow but again, who knows. I will try to slow the pace down anyways and not make these so rushed, because there's now actually a lot I want to include, most of which I thought of today.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My brain: Update  
Me: Why  
My brain: You're writing a fic that's kinda wolf-centric  
Me:  
My brain: It's full moon  
Me:  
Me:  
Me: You right, I will
> 
> And for those wondering about why I changed the title and summary, when I first started this it was supposed to be light but now that I actually have a plot I felt like the title/summary weren't serious enough because this does start to get a bit dark so that's why the changes
> 
> And I have been listening to "The Last of the Real Ones" by Fall Out Boy for the past three days, and that's where I got the title from, so...yeah

He rose and spun to call for the other three, who uncertainly ran over and joined him. Nya opened her mouth to say something, no doubt about the sudden change in his behavior, but Cole interrupted before she could say anything.

“I know what may have happened to Jay and Kai. I’ll explain later, but I need you guys to trust me right now. Please, Jay and Kai are in terrible danger right now." The desperate plea in Cole's voice was enough to convince them. They nodded, and he took off, disappearing into the forest seemingly just knowing where to go when he was actually following Vukasin.

They ran through the forest, stopping occasionally to allow for Vukasin to sniff the air for more of Jay or Kai's scent. Cole stopped when he did, sniffing the air, then took off again.

"You promised an explanation," Nya panted, face bright red with exertion.

Cole hated the situation. He didn't-

He skidded to a halt as Vukasin turned and growled, " _ Here _ ." Cole held a hand up and slunk forward, moving his body to move silently underneath a bush. He pushed a branch out of his way, just enough to peer down a steep hill that bled back into the forest, a clearing large enough for a few tents and cages to be set up. He saw two bodies lying on their sides in a cage on the opposite side of his position, each bound tightly with straps.

Cole shimmied backwards and sat back on his heels. He pulled his left sleeve up and hovered trembling fingers over the anchoring bracelet before deciding to raise his hands towards his neck, withdrawing a chain with a silver circle and four teeth. He let out a deep exhale and said, "I'm going in alone. It'll be safer if I do. They can't see or hear me."

"What are you saying?"

"He's a ghost wolf demon." Lloyd answered Zane before Cole could. "I did some research and things just fell into place," the fairy explained as he glanced Cole's shocked and alarmed expression. Lloyd motioned with his chin to the clearing. "Go save them." Cole smiled a small smile of soft emotion, then he reached up and removed a necklace. As soon as he took it off, Nya let out a choked sound, which made Cole grimace, as if he was expecting it.

"You're no beta," she whispered, and Cole nodded, still grimacing.

"I promised to explain and I will, but right now Kai and Jay are my top priority." He started unwinding the bracelet from around his wrist, revealing that it was actually a snake-shaped coil made of vengestone pieces instead of solid metal. Before he undid it completely, he looked at Zane and said, "I am trusting this and the necklace to you. I need them back as soon as we get back to the school, okay?" Zane nodded, and Cole removed the bracelet completely. He pressed the two items into the ice elf's hands as his body started to disappear starting from the feet up. In less than five seconds he was completely gone.

* * *

Cole and Vukasin walked down the hill, no sound from either of them. They were ghosts; they couldn’t be seen or heard unless they wanted to. It was why, back in the early days of the ghost wolf demons, they were such excellent assassins.

Cole shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Now was not the time to be thinking about that. He needed to focus on saving Kai and Jay and getting them out unscathed.

They slipped into the camp, and a trapper walked right past Cole, who took a step away to avoid the trapper walking right through Cole. He may be invisible but he could still be felt, and that would cause the alarms to be raised.

“Find the key,” Cole said to Vukasin, who nodded and slipped away. Cole approached the cage that held Kai and Jay’s limp bodies, analyzing the cage. It wasn’t silver or vengestone, so he passed through it with ease. He knelt down next to Jay and concentrated on making his hands solid. They returned to their human state, long enough for him to undo all the bindings holding the spirit together.

“Jay,” Cole whispered. “C’mon buddy, wake up.” Jay slowly shifted, limbs no doubt sore and numb from how tight the bonds were, but at least he was alive. Cole then turned to Kai and did the same thing.

“Wha’ happened?” Jay slurred, trying to sit up, but Cole hissed, “Keep your voice down. They’ll hear you.” Jay looked sorely confused, blue eyes clouded with whatever drug he’d been given, but trusted Cole’s disembodied voice.

Vukasin returned with the key in his mouth, and Cole took it. He unlocked the cage and instructed Vukasin to become large enough to carry Jay and Kai, who was still unconscious. The wolf nodded and grew until he was the size of a horse. He crawled on his belly into the cage, and Cole solidified his hands again, dragging first Jay over to him before Kai. Vukasin solidified his back as well, just enough to support the two boys that needed to escape. Once they were settled, Vukasin stood up and slunk out of the camp.

Cole followed behind to make sure neither of them fell off Vukasin’s back, and they returned to where Nya, Zane, and Lloyd waited for them.

“Start going back. Tell Sensei that there are trappers in the area and everyone needs to be on alert,” Cole said as the two barely conscious boys were removed from Vukasin’s back. “I won’t be long; I just need to take care of these trappers first.”

“Wouldn’t it be safer to just return with us?” Zane asked, helping Nya to support Kai.

“No. I can’t risk having my...friends be taken. Not like this and not again. I won’t be long, I promise. Even though you can’t see him, Vukasin will be with you guys. He’ll be able to sense enemies before they appear, and if need be, he can change size and get you all back to the school. Trust him, and trust me, please.”

“You’re making a lot of promises, Cole,” Nya said, and Cole sighed.

“I intend to fulfill every one of these promises, but please, let me fulfill this one first.”

Cole turned and went back down the hill. He grabbed a few nearby knives, solidifying both hands yet again. He walked up behind a trapper and slit his throat. There was another trapper nearby who saw it, but he too found himself with a slashed throat.

He cleared the entire camp of trappers, killing each one. His hand would have been soaked with blood if it had been human by the time he had finished, and across several dead trappers on their chests sliced a word until a message was spelled. Cole stood up and threw the bloody knife to the side, staring down at the warning he’d written. His work now completed, he started back to the academy, eyes burning with a cold fire and, when he returned back to human, a vicious pleasure in his stomach.

* * *

Zane's palm ached from how tightly he was holding onto the bracelet and necklace, the sharper points digging into his skin. They'd gotten back to the academy without any trouble, and they'd managed to haul Jay and Kai up to the infirmary. Cole's wolf shimmered then vanished, but Zane had a feeling that he was still there.

Mistaké checked the others just to make sure they were okay, then turned back to the two who were in the beds. Jay was sitting up and complaining about his wings hurting, but Kai was still unconscious. Mistaké said it was just because of the stuff used to knock him out, and Zane hoped that that was true. She shooed them away so she could focus on Kai.

They were making their way back to the dorms when they heard a howl. The invisible wolf with them let out an answering howl, and a short while later, they heard a voice say, "They're taken care of."

Zane turned to the spot where he heard Cole, and saw him materialize, body transparent and green but at least now visible. He held a hand out towards the ground, and he smiled as he started rubbing what the elf assumed was the head of the wolf.

"How's Jay and Kai?" He straightened up and started to the dorms, the others joining him.

"Jay's awake and complaining but Kai was still out when we got kicked out by Mistaké. Whatever it was that they gave him, he's out cold," Lloyd reported. Cole's fist clenched at his side, the look on his face a cold mask, and he snarled deep within his throat.

"They always give incubi stronger doses to keep them that way. Trappers don't give a fuck about elemental spirits as they're weaker, but for a pretty thing like Kai, they'd want to preserve him until they could sell him. He'd fetch a fine price no matter where they went."

"I'm sorry?" Nya stared at Cole, who shoved his hands in the pocket of his hoodie and kept walking, head down.

"You heard me. They were going to sell him most likely. Jay complaining about his wings? I can guarantee they were plucked, but which feathers I don't know. For a fairy, they like to cut the wings off, because then they become jeweled and who doesn't love pretty, delicate jeweled things?"

Lloyd let out a choked sound of alarm, but Cole kept going.

"Elves are safe 'cuz there's nothing too special about them. Sorry," the ghost wolf added with a glance to Zane. "But yeah, trappers like to come along and pick off a few and then they disappear. They either die or are sold, and that's the end of them."

"This sounds like it comes from personal experience," Zane observed. Cole went quiet, then murmured, "Yeah, indirectly I guess you could say that." He started walking faster, as if to avoid any more questions about it.

"Wait, you still haven't explained-"

"I said I would later, but never how much later. Anyway, I'd rather wait until Kai and Jay are out of the infirmary to explain so I only have to do it once. Zane, can I have my bracelet and necklace back?"

The elf held his hand out, unfurling his fingers to reveal the two items, and Cole picked them up with a stable hand. He didn’t put them on, though, instead choosing to just hold onto them. After that, he remained quiet and refused to acknowledge anything directed towards him. When they got to the floor with their rooms on it, he didn’t even say good night, choosing to keep his silence as he opened the door and slipped inside.

Zane watched the door shut, feeling confused at Cole’s odd behavior. He wanted to ask questions, but knew prying was only going to make the ghost wolf angry and even more secretive. With a sigh laced with sadness, the ice elf retreated into his room.

* * *

Kai dreamed that he was stuck in a cage, naked and with his horns and wings out. He was usually fine with no clothes, but this was a different feeling, as if his secrets were written on his skin for everyone to see. He felt vulnerable and wanted to hide, but there was nothing for him to hide behind. His hands were tied to one of the bars in front of him, and he sensed rather than heard a voice speaking. Eyes gleamed at him from a dark audience, picking him apart with their sharp gazes.

Something transparent and green drifting in the corner of his eye caught his attention, but when he turned to look, it had vanished. Kai looked back to the audience and jumped whenever he saw Cole standing right before him on the other side of the cage. It must’ve been him that the incubus had glimpsed, for he was the same faded green.

“Kai, you need to wake up,” the wolf demon breathed, reaching a hand through the bars to the top of Kai’s head, resting between the two black spirals. “Come back to us.”

Kai felt something brush against his leg, and he looked down to see a wolf with silvery-white fur with pale green streaks rubbing up against his calf. Its head came up to the curve of Kai’s waist, and it sat down and looked up at him, eyes clouded and pale green.

“Please, come back.” Kai lifted his head to meet Cole’s gaze again, and the incubus blinked once. When his eyes had opened once more, he found himself staring at the ceiling in the infirmary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is when basically everything will be explained, so don't worry if I seemed to have glossed over something in this one. It shouldn't take too long for me to finish next chapter and post it, but who knows.
> 
> That being said, have a good day/night, kudo/comment if you want to, and I'll catch y'all next time :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the explanation portion done in two days, but didn't know how to end it so that's why it took me as long as it did. Sorry

Thanks to Mistaké and her endless supplies of magical teas, Kai was back on his feet within a few days of waking up. Jay had been released the day after being brought in after a thorough examination of his wings in which it had been deemed that only the downy feathers had been plucked and all the others had been spared. Which confused Cole, now back in a stable human form, but from the information obtained from him the night after the full moon the group knew why, and it confused them too.

It seemed like the weather had known that Cole wanted to finally explain things, because it was cold and windy, rain clouds building up in the northwest. The group sat huddled under a small roofed shelter close to their usual table, and they all waited in silence for Cole to start. He had a thermos of hot apple cider in his sweaterpawed hands, the thermos swiped from the kitchen by Jay.

It was silent except for the breeze and the trees rustling. Everyone waited patiently for the ghost wolf, who looked more stressed the longer the silence continued. He finally took a sip of his drink and let out a deep exhale.

“As Lloyd figured out and told you all, I’m a ghost wolf demon. And as Nya figured out, I’m not a beta. Who told you that, by the way?”

“Scent. You smelled like one until you took that necklace off.”

Slight relief crossed Cole’s face. “It does work, thank god. I mean, I figured it would, but…” His voice died and he cleared his throat. “Anyways, um, yeah. I’m an alpha.” He took another nervous sip of his drink, fidgeting with his sweaterpaws.

“The reason why I didn’t tell you guys I was a ghost wolf was because I was afraid of how you’d react. When someone says they’re a ghost wolf demon, one of two reactions happen: They’re either killed or the people they told run away because they think they’re gonna get killed. And I didn’t say I was an alpha because I didn’t want you guys thinking that I was trying to imprint and stuff and yeah.”

“Do you not have a pack?” Jay asked, interrupting softly.

“That’s actually the reason why I’m here.” Cole looked down at his right thigh, and his shoulders dropped slightly. Pulling them in to make himself look smaller, he said without looking at them, “We’re dying. Most of the ghost wolf alphas have been killed as an act of revenge against our past as assassins, and without them the others can’t get to safety, which means they’re picked off as well, and…” His voice cracked, and he suddenly stood up, turning his back towards them. He walked to the edge of the shelter, and they could see his shoulders start to rise and fall rapidly, breathing picking up pace.

“The one remaining parent of our race is dying as well. Without him, the portal to the safe realm dies, which will separate the packs from those still struggling to find one. The ones stuck here, in Ninjago, will continue to be hunted until the last ghost wolf is picked off. But in the safe realm, we’ll thrive, as it’s a realm created by Pangur Bán so the only occupants are ghost wolves and their packs, but a deep fear of ours is abandonment, and knowing we could forever be separated from everyone else, and…” His voice thickened and he sounded like he was going to start crying at any second. “And that’s why I’m here. My dad and I figured this would be the best place for me to find a pack before Pangur Bán…” His composure broke, and he began to cry.

“We’ll be your pack,” Lloyd volunteered, but that made Cole only cry harder, shaking his head furiously.

“I couldn’t do that to you five,” he answered miserably. “I couldn’t add you to the hunters’ list. It’s bad enough that there are trappers, and that was my fault anyways that they snagged Jay and Kai.” He sniffed and wiped his eyes before continuing.

“There’s one trapper in particular that has a fondness for ghost wolf demons, and when I was a kid he killed my mom and captured my dad and I. The rest of the pack that was formed by my dad was killed off as well, their wolves’ pelts sold to the highest bidders. I honestly don’t know why he didn’t kill the two of us when he killed everyone else, but we broke out thanks to my dad’s wolf having not been captured. As we were escaping the camp, the trapper caught me. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but I was terrified and panicking, and I ended up scratching an eye out.” He curled up on the floor, pressing his shoulder against the stone wall. “The trappers I killed a few nights ago were his. I killed them like he killed my dad’s pack. And it felt good. Like, really fucking good.” He smirked through the tears at the memory, then remembered who he was telling this to. He cleared his throat and said, now embarrassed, “Ignore that last part.

“So, in summary, I need to find a pack as soon as possible while avoiding the trappers and hunters but making sure you five aren’t stolen away by said trappers and hunters at the same time. And I’m also on a bit of a time crunch, but who knows when the deadline is.” He rested his chin on top of his knees, still nervous. “Um, any questions?”

“If you need a pack, why are you refusing whenever you have several volunteers?” Lloyd inquired, readjusting the hood on his head. “I mean, wouldn’t that save you from having to worry about finding one?” Cole looked at him, green eyes rimmed with red and shining with misery.

“There’s this ritual that takes place once an alpha like myself finds a pack. In it, Pangur Bán does what I guess could be an examination, and decides whether or not the selected are good enough to become ghost wolf demons. If so, then their spirits are removed and turned into wolf companions like Vukasin, the alpha and their wolf gets their eyes cleared, and the now-confirmed pack basically become ghost wolves.

“It doesn’t always work, though. Sometimes Pangur Bán will refuse the selected and the alpha will have to try again. He just wants the best for his kids, so you can’t necessarily blame him. Especially when it comes to mates. After the death of his own mate, he was devastated, and rightly so.”

“Can’t he find another?” Jay piped up, and Cole looked up at him.

“Mates aren’t things you can just replace. They’re your lifeline, your candle in the dark. If your mate dies, you can’t find another. You usually have one mate, and that’s it.” He pulled his knees closer against his chest, dropping his gaze back down to the floor. “There’s a story about the parents of the ghost wolf demons. Back before there even was such a thing as ghost wolves, they were two ordinary demons. Then, they were bitten by a pair of ghost wolves and transformed into massive wolves at least twenty feet tall. Around their necks were amulets that contained drops of their mate’s blood, and the amulets they wore were two pieces of one; if one of them died, then their piece of the amulet would join to the survivor’s. Anyways, what’s supposed to happen is that the survivor is to select a pair of mates to pass the amulet to so that they become the parents of the ghost wolves. But since Pangur Bán is the original original, who knows if it’s true or not. Not me, I’m just struggling to stay alive while trying to find a pack.”

“You don’t want us as a pack why, again? I think it’d be fun to be a ghost wolf demon,” Kai commented, crossing his legs and leaning back against the table. Nya looked at him questioningly, but held her tongue.

Cole sighed, tired of explaining this part. “If I choose to make you guys into my pack, you become ghost wolves. That will then make every hunter and trapper in Ninjago want you dead and your head mounted on their trophy wall. And because I care about you five, I don’t want to see you dead, so to keep you alive I’d rather not. Next question.”

“What was the trapper’s name you blinded? Just so we know who to avoid.” It was Zane this time.

“Ronin. Look for the eyepatch across the right eye. This is gonna sound really vague and oh-so-stereotypical when describing bad guys, but you’ll know it’s him when you see him. Anything else?”

“You said most people were scared of you just because of what ghost wolf demons were in the past, but I’m not gonna lie, I wasn’t scared for my life or anything last night. I was just overwhelmed by your scent, but that was it,” Nya spoke up, burrowing further into her jacket.

“The last thing people want to hear is that your ancestors were the most lethal of assassins, so they’re gonna get scared because they think you’re there to kill them when in reality, if a ghost wolf wanted to kill you, they would have done so already.” A beat of silence. “Not that I want to kill you guys. That’s the opposite of what I want.”

Silence fell once more as the five thought about what Cole said while he repositioned himself on the table next to his thermos, taking more nervous sips as he waited for their verdict. Finally, Kai met the anxious Cole’s gaze and stated, “Ghost wolf demon or not, I don’t care. I still like you. You also rescued Jay and me, so if you wanted us to die you would’ve not given a shit and just left us there.”

Cole gave a weak smile and a thumbs up, looking slightly pained as he said, “Gotta love those stupidly territorial alpha instincts, right?”

"Someone's gotta be the stupidly territorial one of the group. I've always wanted someone to protect me," Jay admitted, swinging his feet. He looked shy about admitting it, but Cole only felt relieved. They weren't going to chase him off. Instead, they were accepting him as he was, and he felt like he was going to start crying again.

"So...you're not gonna chase me off or anything?" Cole just wanted to hear it said, and Zane looked at him with a stare asking why he'd ever be questioning it.

"Of course not. You can't help being who you are; none of us can," the ice elf replied.

"Yeah! You're still the same Cole we know and love!" Kai flounced over and plopped down next to Cole, ensnaring the wolf in a tight hug. "You're an artsy-fartsy badass who can make people think you're soft and plush, especially whenever you do The Eyes. C'mon, do The Eyes."

Cole lifted large, soft eyes to look at Kai from underneath his eyelashes. Kai squealed and squished Cole's face between his hands, peppering every inch of it with little kisses.

"Why is he like this?" Cole heard Lloyd sigh. Kai placed one final boop of a kiss against the tip of Cole's nose and pulled away, ignoring the blank expression on his face.

"Great, you broke him. Look, he's not responding. Hello, earth to Cole?" Jay skittered to Cole's other side and waved a hand in front of his face. The ghost wolf slowly turned to Kai and slowly drawled, "The next time you plan on doing that, give me a heads up so I can brace myself."

"Why won't let anyone let me show them affection!" Kai complained. He then turned to Jay, a wicked grin on his face, and lunged for him.

Cole stared as Kai reached for Jay, who squawked as he was manhandled and dragged across the ghost wolf's lap rather ungracefully. Kai attacked the blue-clad spirit with nuzzles and kisses peppered across his face similar to how he attacked Cole. Everyone else watched the chaotic mess taking place, Jay trying to escape while Kai held on tightly as Cole stared with a slightly bewildered expression, wondering how he got from explaining his sad and angsty backstory to...whatever was going on in his lap.

"Dude!" Jay grumbled as he finally pulled himself free of Kai's grasp. "Great, I now have Kai smell all over me."

"Just making sure you know you're mine," the incubus teased. "Whaddya gonna do, zap me?"

"Famous last words, Kai," Jay answered, a wicked glint entering his sharp blue eyes. Tiny sparks started flickering from his fingertips, which made Cole laugh nervously, pushing the two apart.

"That's enough, you two. You can take it out on each other in the training room," he said, still nervous. The way the two brawled on a normal basis made him anxious, and being stuck between them with teeth bared and eyes bright with a mad look, Cole didn’t want to get caught between them.

“Speaking of training, I think Sensei has something for us. God knows what it is because with him you never know, but that just reminded me of it,” Lloyd said, green eyes flicking between the grinning Jay, the smirking Kai, and the internally-screaming-for-help Cole.

“And that reminds me of the talk him and I had the day of the full moon. Who wants to help me make a sealer because apparently I need one?”

Cole looked questioningly at the incubus. “Why a sealer?”

“Misako caught me doing my usual incubus things with Shade so she dropped me off to Sensei and he said I needed one. Don’t have the money, so why not make one?”

“Why Shade? Why would you want to seduce a phantom?” Nya sighed, looking slightly disappointed.

“He was checking me out and it just kinda happen-why is everyone questioning me when it’s what I do?”

“Because you mentioned that it was Shade. Now if you said it was someone else like…” Lloyd’s voice trailed off as he struggled to think of a name. “Who’s attractive here at the academy?”

“Griffin’s not bad…?” Jay tried, but Nya snorted.

“Have you seen what he wears every day? And the hair has too much gel in it. At least my brother puts it to good use and not just pours it in, combs it back, and calls it good. At least my brother has a decent sense of fashion, although it could be a bit more tasteful.” She stared at the knee-high boots, fishnets, high-waisted booty shorts, and crop top with a short leather vest to top it off that Kai wore, and he put a hand to his chest, a look of mock hurt on his face.

“It’s what I like to wear, it’s what I want to wear. Do you hear me complain about what you wear?”

“That’s because Nya knows how to lure people in with tact and not just trap them against a wall with a foot slammed next to their face to keep them there. I mean…” Zane gestured to the succubus who was sitting at a slight angle with her legs crossed, dressed in tasteful heeled boots, ripped black skinny jeans, a snug shirt that was the color of blood, and a hooded, long-sleeved vest, the hood pulled up partially. She wore a simple sealer around her neck, a black velvet band one inch wide with red and gold stitching, forming the spell that made it a sealer.

“Nya’s the definition of classy,” Jay sighed, staring at her with eyes that went slightly dreamy. Nya rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. As that was happening, Cole found himself being pulled close to Kai and whispered into his ear, “They used to be a thing, but stuff happened, Nya found Skylor, and it’s been years but Jay’s still not over her yet. I don’t think he ever will be.” Cole nodded once, then cleared his throat.

“Does anyone mind if we go back inside? It’s getting a bit cold,” he said, and then everyone realized how chilled they had gotten with the exception of Zane.

“We should stop by Sensei’s office and see what he was for us,” Zane suggested as the squad started back up to the academy. “Before we forget again.”

“First one there wins!” Jay bolted, everyone else following close on his heels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is, the reason why Cole's there in the first place
> 
> Hopefully the next chapter won't take me as long but ah well if it does
> 
> Thanks for reading, kudo/comment if you want to, have a good day/night, and I'll catch y'all next time


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This starts not the greatest. Then it reaches the second line break and it gets better as they talk about teenager stuff. Then Kai whips out the tequila and all except for one run away. So yeah, there's a bit of alcohol use but it's not towards the very end

"You have something for us, Sensei?" Zane asked, the squad breathless after their mad dash towards the headmaster's office. It had been a close race, but Jay had won (surprise surprise), followed closely by Cole, Zane, Nya, Kai, and Lloyd.

"I was hoping Lloyd was going to remember, but yes, I do."

"What is it? A secret assignment? New privileges?" Kai looked excited, hanging off Zane's lithe body with his arms wrapped around the elf's shoulders, red eyes bright.

Wu beckoned them closer to his desk and opened a case. Inside were two sets of double bracelets with swords, a choker with a scythe pendant hanging from a metal loop, a wraparound bracelet that looked like nunchucks, another choker with a simple bar hanging by a thin chain, and a pair of spiked ear cuffs so clearly meant to be worn by an elf.

"...Jewelry. Sensei, I don't see how this is, y'know...relevant?" Jay said, staring down into the box with obvious confusion.

"That is because this isn't ordinary jewelry. They're-"

"Weapons disguised as jewelry." Cole looked at the headmaster, eyes narrowed slightly. "A method of concealing weapons in plain sight. Looks harmless enough, but once removed from their holding place, so to speak, will enlarge them to their full size." His eyes narrowed further, clearly suspicious. "Why?"

"Despite the amount of trouble as you six cause, you're wearing out the training weapons. And since Kai and Jay have broken several of them-"

"We said we were sorry," Jay interrupted.

"-I figured it'd be easier to just give you all magic weapons."

"You spoil us, Sensei. What do they all do?" Nya inquired, looking inquisitive.

Sensei divided the small weapons amongst the small group, then told them to follow him down to one of the many training rooms.

* * *

Cole tested his out first. He'd been given the choker with the scythe pendant, a little clasp keeping it secured to a small metal loop. He unclasped it and gave it a single twirl as he brought it behind him. As he did the spin, it grew larger until it was a full-sized scythe, the blade wickedly sharp and gleaming with malicious intent

He gave an experimental swing with it, and the blade sliced through the dummy that had been set up. The scythe ripped through it like a knife to flesh, making a clean cut. The dummy collapsed, and Cole stared at the weapon in his hands. He looked at Sensei with large eyes, blinking rapidly.

"Why are we needing these??" The wolf demon said in a voice that was more of a surprised squaw than anything, eyes huge as he stared down at the weapon he held.

"Because it is thanks to you six we need more training equipment. It is good to practice, but not good to actually...break the items," Sensei said, sipping from the teacup they all swore was endless.

"But we can break an enemy's spirit and mind, right? If it's what the situation calls for, and they have valuable information that we need, we can break their will to resist, can't we?" Kai grinned before he snapped his wrists downwards so that his palms were open, fingertips aimed at the ground. The two swords on his bracelets followed the movement, and he whooped in excitement as he was suddenly holding twin swords. He sent Lloyd and Jay scattering as he swung the weapons, testing their weight and balance.

"Dude!" Jay squawked, cowering behind Nya, who sighed and stared in disappointment at her brother, who was doing a simple routine with his new weapons.

"Watch where you're swinging those things," Lloyd commented from behind Cole, who had returned the scythe to its home on his new choker. Kai scoffed and did the reverse movement, shrinking the swords back down to their jewelry size.

“Is there no other reason for these other than to just prevent us from breaking more things?” Zane asked, still fidgeting with his own pieces. The elf wasn’t even sure how his were going to work, but he trusted that Sensei knew what he was doing and therefore kept silent about it even though he had so many questions about it.

“And also because the best fighters deserve the best weapons.”

“There’s absolutely no favoritism whatsoever when regarding us, is there?” Nya asked, to which Jay responded with, “Who cares? It’s not everyday we get awesome new weapons like these.”

“Is there anything else, or is that it?” Lloyd turned to his uncle, who merely answered “That is all” before turning and exiting the training room, leaving the six youngsters to their new fancy playthings.

* * *

“This has been quite a day. First we get to know basically everything about Cole, then we get new weapons, so what’s next?” Jay snatched a pillow and held it close against his chest, blue eyes large as he stared at the small company he was in. Nya looked over at him, her head resting on Skylor’s thigh as the red-headed demon ran her fingers through her girlfriend’s hair

“What’s next is for Kai to make his sealer,” the succubus answered, slowly closing her eyes and readjusting her position. “What’s next is for Cole to find a pack. What’s next should be to find the trappers and get rid of them before they become even more of a threat.”

“Do you ever just...stop thinking for once?” Kai opened the bathroom door, dressed in his favorite pair of high-waisted sleep shorts made of silk, towel around his neck and hair an unruly mess. He threw the towel carelessly into the room he just left and crossed over to his bed, flopping on it and curling up behind Jay, grabbing the lightning spirit’s narrow waist and holding him tightly.

“Everyone knows that Zane and I are the only ones with brain cells, so no, I never stop thinking,” his sister returned. Any comment from Kai was halted by soft knocking on the incubus’s door, and he asked to know who it was. He reluctantly removed himself from Jay to unlock the door and allow in Cole, Zane, and Lloyd, the fairy perched on Zane’s shoulder like always when he was too lazy to remain human sized.

“We’re not interrupting anything, are we?” Cole asked as Zane exchanged a greeting with Skylor, the wolf demon tugging his hoodie off once the door had been shut and locked once more, revealing his black tanktop and well-muscled arms.

“No, we’re just talking about what to do next. Have you met Skylor yet?” Nya asked Cole, who shook his head.

“Don’t worry about me telling anyone your secret; it’s not like I have anyone to tell it to,” the demon of amber reassured Cole after a brief introduction, who nodded. “What I’d be more concerned is you showing those muscles in Kai’s presence. He has a muscle kink, so I’d suggest you put your hoodie back on if you don’t want him drooling over you.”

“Why do you always expose me like that?” Kai complained, sulking as he curled around Jay once more. Cole, on the other hand, cracked a smile and said, “Thanks for the concern, but I’ve handled a lot worse than an incubus who can’t control his thirst.” He dropped the hoodie on the floor and crawled onto the bed as well, choosing a corner at the foot to claim as his spot, ignoring the slightly surprised and pointed stare he got from Kai.

“But really, Kai, you should really start making that sealer. You’d get into a lot less trouble if you had one,” Nya said, opening an eye to look at her older brother. “You’d be less thirsty, too.”

Kai made a face, sticking his tongue out as he perched his chin on Jay’s shoulder. “You’re only saying that because you have a partner who managed to tame you. Also, she has shapeshifting powers, so she can fulfill any of your desires. Meanwhile, my immediate pool is”-he gestured with his right arm to the other three males plus the one he was already latched onto-“minus Lloyd and minus Cole. I only get Jay and Zane, neither of whom can shapeshift.”

“Hook up with someone who can, like Chamille,” Nya suggested. Kai grimaced, then responded with, “She’s dating Tox, remember?”

“Relationships haven’t stopped a free incubus like yourself before, though. Didn’t you almost ruin Pixal’s and Kryptor’s relationship?” Lloyd brought up, to which Kai grinned wickedly.

“What do you mean ‘almost’? I did,” the incubus answered, starting to nuzzle into Jay’s hairline behind his ear. “They were always a bit unsteady anyways, and I just simply helped them make up their minds.”

“I’m uncomfortable with how easily and nonchalantly you said that,” Cole announced. “Do you just enjoy watching relationships fall apart?”

Kai shrugged with a single shoulder, nipping lightly at the shell of Jay’s ear. The lightning spirit moved his head away, but Kai caught his ear between his teeth and pulled it back over. The incubus obviously cared at the fact that there was a crowd watching, but Jay was a little more self-conscious, starting to struggle to get away.

“Why are you torturing him when he just wants to be left alone?” Cole leaned over and tugged the lightning spirit free. Kai pouted at the loss of warmth pressed against him, then turned to Lloyd.

“Don’t even think about it,” the fairy stated firmly.

“I just wanna hold someone,” Kai whined, starting to sulk. “It’s not like I could even charm you no matter how hard I tried.”

“Kai, I know you like me, but it’s never going to work out, and you know that.”

Kai’s pout increased, and then he swung his head to stare at Cole, saying the wolf demon’s name in a way that made him look startled and the faintest amount scared.

“Why…why do you always look so scared? I just need to ask you something,” the incubus said, squinting slightly at him.

“Because it’s you, Kai. We never know what crazy idea you’re going to come up with next that’s gonna get us in trouble. Also, one of the most anxiety-inducing questions.” Cole cringed further away. “What do you want to know?"

Kai scooted closer, making the wolf look like his levels of internal screaming just increased by five times. “Mates,” was all the incubus said.

“What about them?”

“How does that system work. Like, does it strictly have to be male and female, or what?”

“That’s actually a rare thing to find amongst ghost wolves. It doesn’t matter, as long as one is able to produce offspring of their own lineage. Why?” Cole leaned further away, only for Kai to follow it.

“Because I’m curious.”

“Are you sure that that’s the _ only _ reason?” Nya drawled, turning onto her side and readjusting Skylor’s thigh beneath her head. Kai scowled, failing to elaborate on what she meant and disregarding Cole’s question inquiring as to what the reason was.

“Can we switch topics?” Lloyd asked while simultaneously stifling a yawn. “I’m getting bored and tired.”

“Why are you still here if you’re tired?” Zane prompted, brushing the fairy’s bangs out of his eyes.

“Because I wanna be with my friends.” Lloyd failed to stifle his yawn this time, and his jaws parted in a massive one. He shook his head, reflexive tears welling up along his lower lashes. He raised a hand to brush them away, then rolled off the bed and said he was leaving. The remaining six said good night, and he returned it with a wave of his hand, slipping out the door.

“Who’s ready for some shots now that the kid’s gone?” Kai reached under his bed and pulled out a massive bottle of tequila, a wicked grin twisting his lips. “Let’s get smashed and make lots of mistakes that we’re not gonna remember tomorrow. If you don’t remember, then you didn’t do it.”

“Wow, Lloyd was right to leave. Look at the time, it’s already past midnight.” Jay bolted from the room, Nya and Skylor excusing themselves just as quickly. Zane threw Kai and Cole a warning glance, then departed as well, leaving the two alone.

“Have you ever tried tequila?” Kai uncorked the bottle and held it out to Cole, who took a tentative sniff and immediately gagged.

“People _ willingly _ drink that?” The ghost wolf looked like he couldn’t believe it. Kai nodded, corking the tequila once more before getting up from his spot on the bed to pad over to a small fridge tucked away under a nearby counter.

“Vodka’s worse on its own, but mix it with the right ingredients, and it’s not bad.” The incubus opened the fridge and bent over, his shorts riding up so that the beginning curve of his fine ass was exposed. Cole looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed at the sight.

“For me, I like cranberry juice for the tequila.” Kai returned with two glasses and a large container of cranberry juice, and he handed the items to Cole, who nestled the juice between his folded legs and held a glass in each hand.

Kai uncorked the tequila again but then froze. Glancing up at Cole, he asked, “Are you allowed to drink?”

Cole nodded, and Kai proceeded to pour a shot into each glass. He corked the tequila once more and reached for the cranberry juice between the wolf’s legs. His fingers brushed against Cole’s lower stomach as he wrapped them around the plastic neck, the movement slow and deliberate. Cole swallowed thickly as he watched Kai remove the bottle, and in doing so missed the slight smirk and smug light in the incubus’s eyes.

“I promise it’s not too terrible of a taste,” Kai said as he unscrewed the lid, acting as if he hadn’t just given Cole sweaty palms and made him have difficulty swallowing. “It takes a few sips to get used to, but maybe it’s because I’ve burnt my taste buds off that I don’t really notice it anymore.” He poured the juice into the glasses as he spoke and swiped a fingertip around the mouth of the bottle, gathering the small leftover drops and popping it into his mouth. He screwed the lid back on, returned the bottle between Cole’s legs, and plucked a glass from his grasp.

“To your first taste of alcohol,” Kai said, clinking their glasses together. He then took a drink from it, then paused when he saw Cole still holding it.

“You’re supposed to drink it, not just stare at it,” the incubus commented, lowering his glass. Cole took another sniff of it and gave him an uncertain look.

“It still doesn’t smell right,” he answered.

Kai sighed and fixed the tentative ghost wolf with a smile of endearment. “At least take a sip. If you don’t like it, that’s okay, I’ll finish it off for you. Just try it, okay?”

Cole still looked a little apprehensive but raised the glass to his lips anyways and took a decent sip. He made a face as he swallowed it, then asked a moment later, “Is it supposed to burn?”

“Yeah, that’s the alcohol part of it. You have eaten today, right?” Kai took another drink, running his tongue across his upper lip. Cole nodded, and the incubus added, “Don’t forget to drink water, too. It’ll dilute it so you won’t get drunk as fast.”

Cole nodded again, then took another sip.

“See? It’s not that bad,” Kai said encouragingly. “A bit of burn, a slightly off taste, but all in all it’s not too terribly horrible.”

“What are other drink combinations you know of?” Cole asked.

“Surprisingly, not that many. But one of my favorites is whiskey, root beer, and whipped cream. It tastes like a root beer float with that bit of added burn. It’s delicious, though. Would _ highly _ recommend."

“Do you have it?”

Kai shook his head. “I ran out when having a private party for a few select people. This was before you arrived, so I’d need to get some more.”

“But you’re broke.”

“I never said through legal means.” The incubus’s eyes glinted knowingly, and he took another drink. “Jay may be annoying at times, but he’s a great thief. It’s how I get most of my…_ items _, really.”

“How do you pay him, though?”

“Not everything is about money. Sometimes it’s a service for a service. He gets me whatever I need, and I repay him with other things.” Another sip. “I’ll tell you a little something about him.”

“I don’t think I want to know.”

“He’s as loud in bed as he is out of it. You need to gag him to avoid walking up the entire building.”

“I didn’t need to know that.”

“Zane’s something else, though. He’s all quiet and thoughtful and meticulous, and he’s a bit of work to turn on, but once he is, that pretty filter of his is gone.”

Cole took too large of a drink and started coughing. “He likes to dirty talk?” he croaked, still struggling to breathe.

“Dirty? More like absolutely _ filthy, _” Kai scoffed. “I don’t think Jay’s ever come harder than when he did the first time Zane dropped his filter. Poor guy looked so fucked out of it that I thought he was gonna start crying. It was actually pretty hot.” He finished off his drink, then poured himself another.

“You three are very comfortable with each other, then,” Cole mused as he took another sip. “How often do you three…y’know.”

“Just whenever. And it’s not even always the three of us; just whoever’s closest when trying to resist is too much. Of course, I’m usually dragged into it because hey, why not. I’m a creature that thrives off sex and seduction, so no surprise they come to me.”

“Are you happy, though?”

Kai looked up, slightly put off by the sudden question. “What do you mean? Of course I’m happy. Two of my closest friends can come to me with their sexual frustration, and I help them ease it. I’m shitty at everything else except partying, fighting, and fucking, so knowing I’m useful for at least _ something _, even if it is as shallow as that, makes me feel not as worthless and useless.” He finished his drink and went straight for the tequila, doing a few shots right out of the bottle.

“Everyone’s always comparing me to Nya. Even earlier today, you know what’s said.” Cole nodded, which Kai only glimpsed from the corner of his eye as he blundered on, the alcohol starting to remove his filter.

“People are always saying I need to stop seducing everyone I see, that I need to wear a sealer to control it. To dress less provocatively, to stop sleeping around. But the thing is, I can only control it for so long before all of the suppressed hormones just snap and…” He sighed sadly, doing another shot. “It’s not fun to deal with. So, I avoid it by keeping myself as sated as possible. When Jay and Zane come to me, they’re also doing _ me _ a huge favor too.” He scooted over and rested his head against Cole’s shoulder. Cole awkwardly put an arm around the incubus’s back, not sure of what else to do with his arm.

“Nya doesn’t sleep around like me because Skylor satisfies her, which is damn near impossible for beings like us. Nya’s happy, she doesn’t need anyone else. She has Skylor, she’s content.” Kai sniffed a little, which made Cole realize that the incubus was an emotional, crying drunk.

“Skylor to her would be like a mate to you. That’s basically how it is. Someone who can satisfy us is someone to be prized and never given up. And maybe that’s why I haven’t ‘settled down’ yet. I’m still trying to find the one who satisfies _ me _ . Imma be honest, Jay and Zane come close, _ real _ close, but there’s still something missing, and I don’t know what it is.”

The incubus went quiet, sniffles the only exception, and Cole quickly finished his drink and set the empty glass on the floor. He removed the open tequila from Kai’s hand, resealed it, and set that on the floor as well.

“What’re you doing?” Kai asked, looking up at Cole with large eyes and flushed cheeks.

“I’m going to give you a hug because damn it, you need a hug.” With that being said, Cole dragged Kai into him, arms wrapped firmly around the incubus’s ribcage.

Kai buried his face into the crook of Cole’s shoulder, arms fixed firmly around the wolf’s neck. Neither of them wanted to let go, instead sharing, to some extent, a similar feeling of emptiness with each other. They understood what it was like to be without someone special, the pain that came with it. The desire to find someone to call their own was there, but it was an empty place within them.

And for a moment in each of them, they had the slight beginnings of a what if…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I guess Jay, Zane, and Kai are fuck buddies now. And if the ending Lava scene seemed a little forced, I'm sorry (I'll get to all the dirty tags when stuff starts happening and it's not just Kai word vomiting, so don't worry)
> 
> Feel free to kudo/comment, have a good weekend, and I'll catch y'all next time


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, there's one part in here that gets kinda brutal. There's also an attempt at body worship, but that gets shut down kinda fast. Overall, this chapter is kinda a mess, but frick it, this whole story's a mess.

Kai blocked an overhand swing from Nya, going for her exposed side with the other sword. She angled her second blade downwards, saving her side from being cut open. They sprang away from each other, eyes narrowed and glaring before lunging forwards.  
  
As the siblings battled, Jay and Lloyd were ripping into each other as well, staff versus nunchucks. Lloyd swung his staff like a bat, aimed at the spirit's head, but Jay's body glitched and the staff passed harmlessly through.  
  
"No fair! We agreed no powers!" The fairy screeched, to which Jay threw back, "_You_ said no powers! I never agreed to any such thing!"  
  
In another part of the training room was Cole and Zane. Cole was currently trapped up to his waist in ice, but he managed to sweep the elf's feet out from under him, pressing the curved blade under his throat. Zane's eyes gleamed as he stared up at the wolf, who grinned despite the ice continuing to travel up his body.  
  
"I love these new weapons!" Kai yelled excitedly as he flicked his wrists to make the swords return to their bracelet size. Cole looked over, smirking even though he was almost covered in ice. Zane kicked the ice before it completely covered the wolf demon, shattering it and sending the pieces flying every which way. Cole shook himself out, flashing Zane a grateful look as he held the scythe in his hands up to his throat, clasping it to his choker.  
  
"Hey, Cole, how'd you know what these were yesterday in Sensei's office?" Jay asked as he rewrapped the nunchucks around his wrist, watching it shrink.  
  
"Early ghost wolf demons. I know, that answer like everything else. Who did this? Ghost wolves. Who did that? Ghost wolves. What made this happen which resulted in that thing exploding? Would you look at that...it's the ghost wolves again." Cole rolled his eyes. "In a way, almost everything and anything can be traced back to ghost wolves, for better or for worse. When did this become all about me? Feels like there's some odd omnipotent entity who just slapped down the _Let's stress just how much this is about ghost wolf demons because I'm bored so why not_ card." He rolled his eyes again with a shake of his head. "Who's ready for lunch?"  
  
"When in doubt...food." Kai ripped into his steak, completely ignoring the knife his sister had stabbed into the other half of it to remind him of his manners. He also ignored the stares he got, and most definitely didn’t hear Cole whisper to Lloyd, “And when eating like animals is mentioned, they never stop to think of the incubi. It’s always the wolves.”  
  
Lloyd nodded as he tucked into his dumplings and fried rice, nibbling at his food with delicate bites. Jay still hadn’t touched his food, too busy watching Kai devour the steak, and Zane looked disappointed, like he’d taught the incubus better.  
  
“So, Nya, why doesn’t Skylor hang out with the squad?” Cole directed the conversation to the succubus who was showing her brother how to properly use a knife and fork on a steak without saying anything.  
  
“I’m not really sure. I think it’s because she wants to avoid Kai and his crush on her, but I could be wrong,” she answered. “Honestly, I don’t know why she doesn’t spend that much time with us. Why do you ask?”  
  
“Just curious, because usually most couples want to spend every waking moment with each other.”  
  
“She’s usually working on homework or hanging out with Neuro, Shade, Bolobo, those guys. I don’t know how she does it, but she’s somehow on all their good sides, which is hard to do for the more thorny ones.”  
  
“She’s a charmer, what else can I say? Did you see how she beat Karloff in the tournament a while back?”  
  
“I’m...sorry? A tournament?” Cole looked confused at Kai's statement, but Zane came to the rescue.  
  
“A tournament of elements. It was held before you arrived. A competition to see who could survive the longest in matches of two opponents. It was particularly brutal.”  
  
“Who won, and why is this even a thing?”  
  
“The one wearing the daisy flower crown was the ultimate victor, and it’s just overall very therapeutic to fight and not face consequences.” Jay took a sip of his drink as Cole stared at Lloyd, who looked as innocent as always with his doe-like eyes looking up from beneath his eyelashes.  
  
“Ultra Violet put up quite the fight, though. She was a particularly nasty and dirty fighter when it was us for the final match. I wasn’t sure if I could beat her,” the fairy admitted. “Vampires are stronger and faster than fairies, and I spent basically the whole fight in the air. Pissed her off, but I eventually won. I’m pretty sure she still has the scar from where I cracked her skull open and gave her a really severe concussion. She was locked in the med ward for a good while, but she eventually got over it. Hates me because of it, though.”  
  
Cole felt like he should be worried that the fairy had casually explained he’d opened someone’s head over a bit of competition, the tone of voice matching the kind used to discuss the weather. The fact that said fairy was only five foot, five inches and looked like the most innocent being alive made it more disturbing.  
  
“I just remembered I left something in my room. I’ll be right back.” With that Cole got up and left, genuinely remembering that he still had homework to do for one of his upcoming classes.  
  
There was no one in the courtyard, say for a gaggle of people dressed in dark clothing with shaved hairstyles and tattoos clustered beneath a single tree. As he drew closer, one with purple-black hair pulled up into a high ponytail turned to face him. Blood dripped from her lower lip, mingling with the dark purple lipstick and trailing down the white of her face.  
  
Cole froze as the scent of blood and night reached his nose, and he glanced behind her to see Shade pinned up against the trunk of the small tree, head thrown back with blood trailing down his throat. His dark eyes glanced to meet Cole’s gaze, and even though he didn’t know the phantom that well, the ghost wolf loathed seeing vampire bites. And judging by the angry look in his eyes, it had not been voluntary.  
  
“So you’re the mutt who’s been stinking up our school with your wretched smell,” the female with the high ponytail sneered, stalking towards him as she ran the back of her hand across her mouth, smearing the blood across her cheek. “I hate werewolves.”  
  
“The feeling is mutual, leech,” Cole snarked, irked by the presence of so many vampires. Glancing once more to Shade, he said, “What did the phantom do to deserve being a snack for your bloodthirsty bitch asses.”  
  
She laughed, offended. “What’s it to you, flea-bitten bastard? I was here first. This is _my_ playground.”  
  
“Leave him, Ultra Violet; he’s not worth getting all worked up about.” The call came from another female, this one with blond hair pulled up into a braided bun. She wore a green shirt and a black skirt with heeled boots laced up to mid-calf, brown eyes gleaming.  
  
Ultra Violet glared at Cole, clearly itching for a fight. “He fucking ruined our meal, Harumi. Mutt should be put in his place before he gets too yappy.” She cracked her neck, eyes taking on a mad light.  
  
“I literally just walked by to get some homework. Don’t need to be so offended by my presence,” Cole snipped. “The faster I can get it, the faster I can leave you all alone.” He started edging his way around the vampire, knowing the moment he turned his back she’d attack. He glanced at her hands, noting with disgust the sharpened talons for nails.  
  
He didn’t even need to turn his back towards them; a simple glance to the side was all it took for Ultra Violet to lunge for him.  
  
He dived under her, rolling to his feet and spinning around just in time to see her start for him again. He leaned back to avoid it, and glimpsed out of the corner of his eye the other vampires surging forwards.  
  
Cole reached up and yanked the scythe pendant off his choker, sliding into a battle-ready stance. By the time they reached him, the scythe was at full size and he was ready to fight.

* * *

“What’s taking Cole so long?” Jay wondered. “I didn’t think he was going to be gone for this amount of time.”  
  
The others were still at the table finishing off lunch. Cole had been gone for much longer than what any of them had anticipated, and it was making them anxious.  
  
"Maybe he got lost or got caught up in talking to someone," Nya suggested, but Zane shook his head.  
  
"He does not willingly talk to others outside of us for extended periods of time, and I doubt he has gotten lost," he countered. He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach, his sixth sense beginning to kick in. Something was wrong; he just knew it.  
  
"Should we go look for him?" Kai asked, and Zane nodded. The squad rose from the table and gathered their dishes, heading up to the school.  
  
"Sounds like the vampires sure are getting a kick out of something," Kai commented as they drew closer, hearing the screeching from the courtyard. The blood drained not only from his face but everyone else's when they heard a familiar howl, furious and in pain.  
  
They raced to the courtyard, dishes falling from their hands as they activated their weapon accessories. Racing across the threshold into the courtyard, the squad fell upon the vampires, ripping into them viciously.  
  
Lloyd went straight for Ultra Violet, slamming his staff under her throat and pulling her off Cole, who was bleeding badly with his right eye swollen shut but still on both feet and able to fight as he spun around and swung his scythe, taking off an oncoming vampire's feet. He fell to the ground with a scream, legs now bleeding stumps. He glared up at Cole, who then kicked the vampire in the head with a devastating amount of force, icy rage gleaming in his eyes.  
  
Kai and Nya were back-to-back, a vicious whirlwind as they sliced and diced, causing the weaponless vampires to flee from them. Zane and Jay stood side-by-side in another corner of the courtyard, their elements overloading the air with the smell of ozone and ice as they beat back the vampires, their glares as sharp and intense as their elements.  
  
Lloyd was still locked in a tussle with Ultra Violet, the vampire spitting as she swiped at him with a taloned hand. He blocked and swung the staff, knocking her feet out from under her. She collapsed and he pounced, hand digging into the base of her ponytail after hitting several pressure points that would make her arms go numb.  
  
"Don't ever mess with him again," the fairy hissed, eyes shimmering from green to blood red, nails and teeth sharpening. He raised her head by her ponytail and brought it down mercilessly against the stony courtyard ground, watching through a red haze as the stones and dirt began to bloody with each slam of her head.  
  
A large black shadow fell across the courtyard, and a thundering voice bellowing at them to stop slowly made everyone turn to look at the figure.  
  
Dragon wings black as night with slate gray membranes and blood red claws sprouting from the ends slowly beat as the one who ordered them to stop lowered himself to the blood-soaked ground. His red eyes flashed with fury, dark brown bangs brushing his eyelashes. Upon seeing who it was, Lloyd hissed a sharp "Fuck" under his breath, glaring at the demon.  
  
"Would someone care to explain what the hell is going on here?" Garmadon demanded, sharp eyes raking over the now-still courtyard.  
  
"It was Ultra Violet who started it by attacking Cole. And I can tell you this wasn't volunteered." Shade pointed to the marks on his throat, now covered in dried blood, and Garmadon's icy glare raked over to where his son was still straddling the vampire, blood streaming down the side of her face.  
  
"She's still conscious," Lloyd spit, a vein throbbing in his temple from the strength of his fury. "I didn't open her head open this time."  
  
Garmadon turned his gaze to look at Cole, who was leaning against his scythe with a hand to his side, favoring one leg. Despite the blood and pain he was most certainly feeling, the wolf met Garmadon's stare with a degree of cold wrath the demon had not seen in ages. With a glance to Zane, Garmadon ordered, "Take him to the infirmary." Zane slipped in next to Cole, who twirled the bloodied scythe and latched it back to the choker, almost collapsing if Zane hadn't grabbed him at the right moment. The pair headed off slowly, and Garmadon turned back to the rest of the group.  
  
"Shade, you may go to the infirmary as well. Ultra Violet will be escorted there personally by myself. The rest of you to the headmaster's office now. If there is anymore fighting, then expect the consequences to be even more severe than what they already will be."

* * *

Kai spent the night in Cole's room, Mistaké having done the best she could to patch the ghost wolf up and only letting it to happen because Ultra Violet was to be locked in the infirmary under strict supervision.  
  
Cole lay with his head on Kai's chest, letting the incubus slowly run his fingers through the tangled mess. His whole body hurt, throbbing with pain that was dulled thanks to one of the healer's painkilling teas.  
  
"We should've gotten to you sooner," Kai murmured, staring up at the ceiling. "We should've gone to check whenever you didn't come back after a few minutes."  
  
"Not your fault." Cole's voice was completely gone thanks to the fighting. "Would've sent Vukasin but couldn't 'cause that would've revealed him."  
  
"Don't talk," the incubus hushed as his fingers found a large knot in Cole's hair. "Save your energy."  
  
Cole shifted slightly, groaning at the dull protest his stiff body was giving him. Kai paused, fingers stilling until the wolf had gotten more comfortable, resuming the one-handed scalp massage he was giving.  
  
For a moment Kai thought Cole had fallen asleep, but then he heard a soft and hoarse, "Can you numb it?" The incubus glanced down, and seeing the sad, pained look in the clouded green eyes wounded Kai.  
  
"Like, with alcohol? I've only got the tequila still, but I'm sure Jay wouldn't mind-"  
  
"Not alcohol."  
  
Kai squinted. "I don't smoke if-"  
  
"Not that, either."  
  
It was only then did Kai realize what Cole was getting at, and it made him feel like the dumbest of all dumbasses. Of course it would be that, not that Kai was against it. It's just that he was worried about the wolf's health after his body took the beating it did during the fight.  
  
Kai quieted for a moment, then softly sighed, "What do you want me to do."  
  
"I don't even know," Cole admitted in a whisper. "I just need to get my mind off it." He sounded so lost that it deepened the pain Kai already felt, and it made the incubus ready to do whatever to numb the wolf, even if it was fruitless and the pain would return again.  
  
Just like it always did.  
  
Kai thought about the course of action he thought would be best, and he finally settled on one. He withdrew his hand from Cole's hair and instructed him to lay on his back. Cole looked slightly confused but did what he was told, movement slowed by his aching body.  
  
Kai straddled him, mindful of the bandages on the wolf's hips and general torso area. He secretly thanked Mistaké for advising Cole to go shirtless to make it easier to check him in the morning, playing another role in what Kai had planned.  
  
"Before I do anything, we're gonna need to establish a safeword. It can be anything you want. If at any point you feel like you need to take a break 'cause you're getting too overwhelmed or I'm going too far, just say it and I'll stop immediately," Kai said, peeling his tanktop off and throwing it carelessly to the floor.  
  
"Like, anything I want?"  
  
Kai nodded, sitting back on his heels but not directly on Cole. "Like Jay's is 'blueberry' and Zane's is 'blizzard'. Literally anything."  
  
Kai didn't think it was supposed to take more than a few moments to decide on a safeword, but Cole looked like he was making a tough decision, taking several long seconds. Finally, he seemed to decide on one, and looked up at Kai.  
  
"Mist," he said. Kai repeated it for confirmation, and Cole nodded. Kai grinned, trailing his hands slowly up Cole's chest to his neck, careful of the bandages and swollen bruises.  
  
"Anything else I should know before we start?"  
  
Cole suddenly looked embarrassed, a deep flush spreading across his face and down his neck. Kai had a suspicion on what it was having caught the scent when they first met, so to make it easier on the wolf he went ahead and said, "If you're gonna say you're a virgin, don't worry. Caught the scent, figured it out, it's cool, you're fine."  
  
Cole looked a bit relieved, sinking back into the pillow with a sigh. He looked so vulnerable beneath Kai with his eyes closed and throat ever so slightly bared that it made the incubus want to protect him from everything fucked up in the world. And when the wolf softly said "Go easy on me, okay?", the surge of protection grew stronger within the spiky-haired spirit straddling him.  
  
Kai leaned forward and placed his forearms on either side of Cole's head. The incubus's voice was low and husky as he murmured, "I don't get rough with my partners the first time unless they ask for it. Besides, after what you've been through today? I wouldn't dare make it worse when I'm supposed to make it better." He pushed Cole's bangs off his forehead and pressed a light kiss against his exposed brow, slowly moving down the bridge to the tip of his nose.  
  
Kai picked up on the rapid breathing, not because of arousal but of anxiety. He pulled away and asked Cole if he was good, to which the wolf responded with shy embarrassment, "I've never been kissed on the mouth before, so…" Kai immediately understood and pressed a kiss to Cole's cheek.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't unless you want me to. Is everything else I've been doing alright, though?" Cole nodded and Kai leaned down once more, kissing the wolf's forehead again.  
  
He trailed his lips down Cole's neck, noting the sound of his breath catching in his throat. His hands twitched, and Kai threaded their fingers together as he pinned down the wolf's hands, still nuzzling the side of his neck.  
  
He worked at the neck and face, not wanting to go past the collarbones until Cole had gotten used to the soft caresses, and Kai must've found a sweet spot behind the wolf's right ear, if the soft moan resulting from it was anything to go by.  
  
Kai found another spot, the right vein in Cole's throat, and it made him arch his neck further, fingers tightening around Kai's. The reaction made Kai want to kiss the wolf's slightly parted lips but refrained and instead kissed the corner of his mouth.  
  
"Can I go lower?" Kai murmured, nipping at the spot behind Cole's ear. It wrung a strangled whine and nod of consent, and Kai released Cole's hands, pushing himself up into a sitting position to analyze the bare torso before him, mapping the path with his eyes. Finally making a decision, he leaned back down and started following the length of the wolf's sternum.  
  
His hands settled on the curve of Cole's waist, taking extra care to not accidentally press on a bandaged area and cause pain. As a result his hands were slightly uneven, but neither of them cared about a minor detail like that as the incubus trailed down the center of Cole's body.  
  
Kai jerked upwards at the squeak Cole let out, panicking at the thought that he'd hurt the wolf. "Are you okay?"  
  
Cole looked bashful and shy as he mumbled, "You found a tickle spot."  
  
Kai's worry disappeared, being replaced by a grin as he nipped at the same spot. Cole squeaked again, reacting the same way. Kai grinned even larger as he tried the other side and was heavily pleased to discover that it was the same.  
  
"That's adorable," the incubus said with huge eyes. He started tickling Cole harder, and the wolf's squeaking eventually turned into laughter. He tried pushing Kai away but the spiky-haired male retaliated and started tickling harder, eventually pinning Cole's hands over his head to prevent being shoved off.  
  
"Oh, shit." The bright look in Cole's eyes had faded, replaced by pain, and Kai felt horrible and started frantically checking the bandages for any spots of blood seeping through.  
  
"I'm fine, honestly," Cole tried to tell Kai, but he refused to believe it, still feeling horrible for causing pain when he was trying to take it away.  
  
Kai began to crawl off, believing he was doing the opposite than what was asked of him, but Cole gripped his forearm and growled, “Don’t you _dare_ leave,” glaring up at the incubus.  
  
Kai gently pried Cole’s fingers off his wrist, saying in a voice that wasn’t normal for the spiky-haired being, “I’m not helping. I’m making it worse. You should be sleeping anyways to help recover faster. Mistaké can only do so much just like any other healer.” He ignored Cole’s protest, instead turning away. For some reason he couldn’t meet the clouded green eyes, and he couldn’t be in his presence anymore.  
  
“I should go. I’ll send in one of the others to keep you company,” he mumbled, sliding off the bed and padding across the door.  
  
“No, Kai, wait-” The door closed before Cole could finish, and Kai walked across the hall to Zane’s door. He knocked a specific pattern on the door, and the ice elf opened it, staring quizzically at the shorter male. Kai opened his mouth to say something, but upon hearing the door behind him open changed the words to ask Zane if he could keep an eye on Cole for the night. He then turned away, trudging down the hall and feeling two pairs of eyes burn into his neck.  
  
Kai got to his room and slipped inside, feeling horrible as he leaned back against the shut door. Usually when asked to numb someone physically, he did a damn good job of it, making sure that they were so high on the hormones and chemicals surging through their brains that they couldn’t remember what had made them hurt so much. But for Cole...Kai thought it was the tickling part that made it go downhill, and the incubus cursed himself for taking advantage of it with as wounded as the wolf was.  
  
“Damn it!” Kai barked as he slammed a fist backwards, not caring if it hurt from the impact. He pushed himself into a standing position and stormed over to his bed, swearing again as he realized he’d left his tanktop in Cole’s room. He was in too foul of a mood to retrieve it, and he didn’t want to run the risk of confronting the wolf, so he instead made a mental note to grab it another time.  
  
Kai changed from his relaxed lounge pants to shorts, ripping the sheets back and yanking them up over his head.  
  
He didn’t even try to chase sleep, knowing it would be futile. Instead he waited with his thoughts, only growing madder as he thought about what he could have done differently.  
  
He finally grew tired enough of being mad and reluctantly let it go, allowing it to slowly come to a simmer instead of boil. He finally found himself going to sleep, and when he woke, he was standing at the foot of Jay’s bed, naked and with a pair of shiny horns that could be mistaken for the antlers of a kudu bull but half the length spiraling back over his head, bat-like wings spread out behind his back.  
  
Kai loved how tuned to his energy Jay’s subconscious had become, making it easier to transition Jay from his current dream to the dream Kai existed in by just being in the same room in full incubus form. He watched the spirit’s chest start to increase in breathing, small and pitiful sounds falling from his slightly parted lips, and Kai grinned darkly, enjoying too much how Jay reacted unconsciously to his presence.  
  
But the thing is, Jay allowed it, so Kai was in no way crossing the boundaries they'd set a long time ago. There was very little the spirit didn't allow the incubus to do, which made him very happy, even though he looked like a sadistic motherfucker at the moment, grinning creepily down at the sleeping Jay's face. He lowered his head so that he could kiss him on the lips, and that's what drew Jay into the dream with the incubus. Jay blinked open large blue eyes that were clouded with heavy arousal and intense need.  
  
"Time to play, baby boy," Kai purred, dark eyes glinting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vampires finally showed up, and Kai and Cole are a complicated mess. Oof.
> 
> Kai thinks he fucked up. Do you agree?
> 
> Feel free to kudo/comment if you want to, have a good day/night and a good week, and I'll catch y'all next time. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween, everyone.
> 
> First things first, thank you so much for the comments and kudos on the last chapter, and I apologize about the wait. Life said "Heck nah" like it usually does, and in the few minutes of free time I had, Resident Evil became more important than this
> 
> Second, I have not written smut in at least over a year, so it's not going to be the greatest. It's also hard for me to write in general, but I tried to do a decent job on it. I'm open to any tips/tricks to improve it for later chapters. (I wasn't even planning on writing it for this chapter but then I decided to add it in, which is the main reason why it took forever to get this chapter done; it takes me a painfully long time to write smut to begin with). I know in the tags it says Zane/Jay/Kai but it's too much effort to put in the individual tags when they're all FWB, so yeah
> 
> I think that's everything, so enjoy

Jay put up no fight, immediately surrendering to the incubus's aphrodisiac-drenched kisses. Kai's lips were hot and wet as they pressed against Jay's, teeth gently catching on his lower lip and sucking on it, tugging once before teasing the sensitive seam with the tip of his tongue. Jay moaned breathily, lips parting in a clear invitation. Kai took full advantage of it, sliding his tongue into the warm, wet cavern.

Jay dug his fingers into Kai's shoulders, holding on tightly as the incubus's tongue tangled with the lightning spirit's, licking and sucking. Kai pulled away and attacked the soft, vulnerable lips, biting and sucking on them till they were red and swollen.

Jay's body arched, legs coming up to grip Kai's waist between his thighs, eyes squeezed tightly shut as his ears were nibbled at, first the right and then the left. The spirit writhed, a soft and breathy moan being drawn from his parted lips as his weak spots were targeted by Kai's well-trained lips, teeth, and tongue.

"What was that?" Kai pulled away after Jay slurred something undecipherable. The spirit already looked drunk off the kisses and arousal, and he repeated, "Get Zane."

Kai winced, apologizing, “Not this time, unfortunately. He’s busy with other things. Maybe next time, alright?”

Jay thrusted his lower lip out in a pout, which prompted Kai to snag it between his teeth, teasing and sucking on it.

“Aren’t I enough to satisfy you, though? How many times have we done it and it was just the two of us, hm? Didn’t you like it then?” Kai crooned huskily into Jay’s ear, nipping at his lobe while running a hand beneath the hem of his tanktop and up his torso, squeezing the dip of his waist before continuing upwards.

“Of course I do. It’s just-_fuck _.” Jay’s voice broke off as Kai slipped his other hand beneath the waistband of the spirit's shorts, wrapping his hand around the hardened member. Jay’s head fell back, eyes closing as he moaned, hips bucking as Kai pumped him slowly.

“We can play with Zane another time, alright? For now, he has other things he needs to focus on.” Kai kissed Jay again, thumb dipping into the weeping slit of Jay’s cock and smearing the moisture around the head.

Jay moaned again, hips continuing to buck up into Kai’s hand. Kai slipped his tongue into Jay’s open mouth once more, licking and sucking on whatever he could latch onto first.

“Fuck, Kai, I’m gonna…I’m gonna…”

“Gonna what, baby? Come for me? Maybe I should have you lick my hand clean, make you clean your own mess up,” Kai ground out in a sultry growl. Jay choked on a whine, and Kai pulled back enough to see the glazed look in the lightning spirit’s eyes.

“You wanna do that? You wanna lick the hand you dirtied clean?

Jay nodded, looking feverish as his voice pitched higher and higher before thrusting one final time, crying wordlessly as he came, painting Kai’s hand with white. The incubus’s eyes rolled into the back of his head, hissing from the surge of sexual energy that spiked from Jay as he continued to milk the lightning spirit through his orgasm

Kai withdrew his hand and held it up, watching the droplets of white slowly drip down the length of his fingers. His dark gaze slid down to Jay’s face, noting the fixed stare the ginger had on the incubus’s cum-stained hand. A crooked grin twisted the corner of Kai’s mouth, and he lowered it to Jay’s lips, sliding one finger into his mouth

Jay’s tongue curled around the digit like a snake, wrapping it in a slick grip and moving it up and down suggestively, eyes lidded as he cleaned Kai’s finger. Kai growled, slipping a second one past Jay’s lips. Jay’s tongue slid between the two, alternating between dragging his tongue down them individually before lapping up to the joint, sucking them deeper into his mouth.

“Wanna suck you off,” the ginger mumbled, drooling around Kai’s fingers, eyes glassy. Kai grinned, back rolling as a shiver ran down his spine.

“You really don’t like your mouth being empty, do you, baby boy?” the incubus crooned. His grin widened as Jay shook his head, still sucking on the fingers in his mouth. Jay then squawked as Kai withdrew his fingers and flipped them over, sliding up so that he leaned back against the headboard while Jay was left mouth-level with Kai’s navel.

“You said you wanted to, didn’t you?” Kai cupped Jay’s face, lifting his head up to meet his gaze. Jay nodded, saliva welling along the inside of his lower lip and slowly dripping over the swollen curve, trailing down his chin. Kai used his other hand to grasp his throbbing cock, tapping the leaking head against Jay’s slightly parted lips.

Kai’s head fell back as Jay wrapped his mouth around the head, tongue swirling around it the same way he’d sucked on Kai’s fingers. He dipped the tip of his tongue into the dripping slit before sinking lower onto his dick, taking care of avoid scraping his teeth against the delicate skin.

Kai moaned, eyes closing as Jay began to bob his head up and down, taking as much as he could into his mouth without gagging before sliding back up to the tip. He glanced up at Kai, blue eyes large and doe-like, and the innocent look made him groan the spirit's name in a filthy growl. It made Jay whimper, the vibrations racing through Kai's dick and into his lower stomach, increasing the levels of rising tension already there.

He allowed Jay to keep going until he was right at the verge of coming, then grasped a handful of Jay’s hair and forcibly pulled the ginger off, hissing at the pain of the delayed orgasm while his cock throbbed angrily at the sudden lack of simulation. Jay whined pitifully, pouting lips glistening with spit and precum, but Kai hushed him by slipping two fingers into his mouth, pressing down on his tongue.

“As much as I love your mouth, baby boy, I’d rather cum inside your ass,” Kai murmured, stroking the top of the spirit’s head, and the glint of in Jay’s eyes made Kai smile. He rolled them over and flipped Jay onto his stomach, getting behind him and straddling his thighs while tightly gripping the narrow waist.

“But of course I won’t do anything until you tell me.” Kai nipped at the tip of Jay’s ear, following the curve down to the back of his jaw, ghosting across the nape of his neck. Jay shivered, goosebumps raising the fine hairs along his body, as the incubus’s lips traveled to the other ear, purring, “Do you want me to fuck you, make you come untouched this time? Play with you until you’re begging for me to stop teasing because you need something inside, filling your empty hole?”

“Dammit,” Jay whispered weakly, and Kai knew he had him.

“You’re such a needy baby boy, wanting to have a thick cock stretching him out and filling him up. Bet I can turn you into a drooling, mindless mess, make you look like a used doll. You’re always so pretty like that, hair messy and cum dripping down your swollen lips with hickeys all over you. Whadda sight you make, all fucked out like that,” Kai whispered filthily into Jay’s ear, the incubus’s eyes fluttering as he reacted to another surge of energy that rolled off the lightning spirit in waves.

“Please, do it. Fuck me, use me however you want to,” Jay begged in a desperate whine, hips trying to fight against the firm grip on his waist to grind back against Kai, who grinned as he slid his hands down, fingers catching on the two elastic waistbands and pulling them down, sliding them off Jay’s lean legs and tossing them carelessly to the side.

Kai slid his hands up the back of Jay’s thighs, grasping his ass and spreading it to reveal the spirit’s puckered hole, a faint glint of moisture welling up. Kai grinned at the sight, thankful that reality was his to control as he saw fit in dreams, and that because he willed it, Jay was naturally lubricating.

Kai circled his thumb around the weeping hole, smearing the slick before slowly pressing the digit past the tight ring. Jay shuddered at the intrusion, but didn't tell Kai to stop, only encouraging him to continue.

Kai replaced his thumb with his index finger, sinking in further than previously able to. He nipped at Jay’s back as he eventually added in a second finger, pressing gradually stretching the spirit out and using the kisses and bites he lathered across the lightly freckled skin as a distraction from the burn of being prepped.

Kai paced himself, despite the intense ache in his cock that screamed at him to hurry up and fuck into the lightning spirit. He didn’t want to cause any pain, discomfort, or injury because Jay wasn’t properly prepped, no matter how much pain he himself was in. The ginger kept begging for more, so Kai kept going.

“I’m almost done, baby, just relax,” Kai hushed as his fingers ghosted across a certain bump. He massaged the area gently, teasing Jay and making him whine and plead even more. He looked over his shoulder, tears beginning to well up along his lower lashes, and Kai leaned in and brushed a slight kiss against Jay’s cheekbone, continuing to tease until Jay’s voice began to pitch higher and higher, sobbing once as Kai withdrew his fingers to leave the spirit on the verge of coming a second time.

Kai straightened up and slid his cock between Jay’s cheeks, lubing himself up from the slick that continued to drip from the ginger’s hole. Jay shivered, hands tightly clenching the sheets beneath him as his body trembled in anticipation of being taken and fucked by the incubus, cock drooling precum onto the dark blue blanket below.

Jay pressed his face into the pillow, muffling a moan as Kai began to push his cock past the snug ring, entering at a slow pace to allow the spirit time to adjust to the intrusion. He’d forgotten to hold his breath, and was now struggling to breathe, which is something Kai picked up on and slowed to allow. Jay gasped for air, and once he’d recovered he inhaled and held it, nodding as a signal to Kai to resume.

“How you holdin’ up?” Kai murmured once he’d was as deep as he could be inside Jay.

“Shut up and fuck me already,” came the breathless plea, and Kai’s dark grin returned. Straightening up, he gripped Jay’s hips and began to ruthlessly pound into him.

Jay knew what to expect, but the switch from soft and gentle to rough and animalistic still caught him off-guard. He scrabbled to dig his hands into something for purchase as the incubus pounded into him like an animal, slamming the spirit’s hips down while thrusting roughly into him, Kai’s longer nails digging into Jay’s skin to leave crescent marks that had a high chance of bruising later.

Jay’s cries and moans were broken staccatos, sharply accented by each savage thrust delivered into his body by Kai’s. The incubus snarled, a sharp aura crackling around him like static, a reflection of Jay’s energy, and it lent Kai strength to further wreck him.

He wrung every possible sound from the russet-haired spirit, from screams to moans, whimpers to sobs. Mixed with the wet noises that resulted from every thrust and the slap of Kai’s skin against Jay’s, it made for an incredibly lewd thing to hear. It increased both their levels of horniness, and both of them had basically lost their minds, succumbing to the most primal of instincts.

Kai panted heavily, sweat rolling down his skin and dripping from the tip of his nose onto Jay’s back, also glistening with perspiration. He could feel himself growing closer, and he could sense Jay drawing close to coming as well, which prompted him to pour the last bit of strength and energy he had into a final effort to push them both over the edge.

Jay pushed back against him and came with a cry, ruining the blanket with streaks of white. The sudden constriction around his cock made Kai snarl and thrust one final time, staying deep inside as he pumped Jay full of cum.

They slowly came down from their highs, and eventually Kai pulled out, watching a mix of slick and semen drip out of Jay’s puffy and pink hole. The incubus then flopped onto his side next to Jay, staring at him and raising a hand to brush the sweaty bangs off his forehead. He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss against Jay’s temple, whispering soft gratitude. The spirit looked over and tiredly answered in a ruined voice, “Anytime. See you on the other side.”

The two closed their eyes, and when Kai reopened his, he was back in his bed, shorts and sheets plastered to his body. He slowly pushed the sheets off, feeling a mix of being languid, sated, and relaxed. He felt better, mind clearer, and he looked down at the shorts glued to his hips and upper thighs. He glanced at the clock to the side of his bed, and decided he had enough time to take an extra long shower.

* * *

Jay slowly blinked his eyes open, body feeling sore. Something sticky and drying on his skin glued his shorts to his thighs, and he turned his head expecting to find a passed out Kai next to him, hugging the spare pillow Jay kept on his bed while snoring softly. The spot was empty, and Jay turned his head back to stare up at the ceiling before getting out of bed slowly, cringing from how disgusting he felt.

Thanks to the dream sex that had transferred itself onto his body, the lightning spirit needed to shower badly, and he awkwardly made his way to the bathroom, questioning everything and then some as he exhaled deeply through his nose at the sensation of something leaking out his ass.

He grimaced as he undressed and turned the shower on, draping his ruined shorts and briefs carefully over the sink before slipping beneath the water, scrubbing his body clean before fingering the leftover cum out of his ass, still questioning everything while internally complaining.

Once he'd finished cleaning, he toweled off and stared in the mirror at the marks left on his skin like petals belonging to an exotic purple-blue flower. Shit, exactly how badly did Kai rough him up? The marks ran down his throat and were heavy across his torso. He turned to look at his back, staring at the angry red scratches that lacerated his skin paired with even more marks.

He shook his head, changing into a pair of blue jeans with a tee shirt and zip-up jacket as he wondered what had pissed the incubus off the previous night, knowing him too well to know that obviously something had angered him. He’d have to ask Kai about it, also knowing that it was his way of saying he needed to talk about something. The spiky-haired sex demon was certainly odd in his way of communications, but once he was figured out it was easy to guess if something was wrong.

Jay finished up in his room and headed down the hall to Kai’s, wanting to get the situation figured out before breakfast. He knocked on the door using his code knock, and it swung open after a few moments, revealing Kai in spandex briefs and a towel slung around his shoulders, hair still yet to be spiked.

The two stared at each other before Kai stepped back and allowed Jay into the room. The lightning spirit didn’t give Kai a chance to speak before turning around and saying, “What pissed you off last night? You only screw like that when you’re really mad at something.”

Kai raised the towel to the back of his hair, still drying it. He waited a few moments before answering, eyes cast on the floor. “I may have been with Cole last night but I ended up doing more damage than what I took away. I left ‘cause I felt like I was failing and had to leave, but then the self-hatred kicked in-”

“And you took it out on me. No hard feelings, it happens,” Jay answered, rummaging through the small fridge and pulling out an apple to snack on.

“Dude, I destroyed your ass last night and basically fucked my anger into you while you were sleeping. Why are you-”

Jay quickly strode over and pressed a finger to Kai’s lips, silencing him. The spirit’s eyes were soft as he answered, “We’ve talked about this, Kai. You have my permission to use me to unleash whatever emotions you have. I don’t care how you use me, just as long as you feel better afterwards.”

“You are way too lenient with me.”

“You also don’t do it often. You only do it when you’re seething and can’t take it out on a punching bag,” Jay reminded as he tapped the tip of Kai’s nose, earning a crooked half-smile from the incubus. “You worry too much even when you’re within the boundaries we set and agreed upon.”

“I just don’t want to hurt you,” Kai protested as he looked down at the ground. “I couldn’t forgive myself if I hurt you, or Zane.”

“And you can’t forgive yourself now because you ended up triggering Cole’s wounds, thus resulting in making him feel pain.” Jay took a thoughtful bite out of his apple, then after he’d swallowed advised, “Talk to him. Clear the air, explain why you left. He’s not gonna be mad at you.”

Kai snorted bitterly, brushing past Jay and heading back into the bathroom, grabbing his comb, hair gel, and hairdryer, plugging in the dryer and raising it with intent to further dry his hair until it was moderately damp. “You sound confident about that.”

Jay grabbed Kai’s chin and pulled his face down before he could switch on the hairdryer, erasing the two inch height gap between them. The softness in Jay’s eyes had been replaced with a fierce glint, hardening the blue from soft summer to brutal winter.

“Has he ever been mad about anything other than when we got taken by the trappers? No? Then why do you think he’s gonna be mad at you if you're honest about why you left? He's not gonna stop talking with you because of one thing that happened by accident. He'll give you another chance if you ask. It's not like he asked you to be his mate and you accepted but now you're regretting it. So grow some balls and talk to him." Jay released Kai's face and took a step back, heading towards the door. “I’ll see you in a few, but you two had better sort this out before the end of the day.” And with that, he left, closing the door behind him to allow Kai to think about what the lightning spirit had said.

* * *

Cole limped over to the door, hair flat on one side and complete chaos on the other. He was tired, in pain, and ready to slap whoever was knocking. He opened it, mouth open to tell them to fuck off, but stopped when he saw who it was. "What are you doing?"

"Dad and Wu want to talk with you about what happened yesterday. Consider me your escort for the next few days." Lloyd adjusted the flower crown on top of his head, eyes shining a brilliant green light. "So come on, get dressed. There's already a thing of coffee for you in the office."

Cole stared blankly at the fairy, who then ushered him back into his room, pulling out a pair of athletic sweatpants with thick elastic bands at the hems, a solid black tee shirt that had been worn to the perfect softness, and the usual hoodie. Lloyd tossed them at Cole, who changed as fast as he could with his injuries.

“Can Vukasin come along?” he asked as he laced up his canvas hi-tops, glancing to the wolf that sat straight up next to him.

“Sure. He follows you everywhere anyways, and they’re not gonna object to him being there,” Lloyd said, impatiently tapping his foot against the floor as he watched Cole grin at where the fairy assumed where Vukasin was.

"Am I in trouble?" Cole asked once he was dressed and they were on the way to the office, walking slowly to match his pace.

"No, you're not. The vampires attacked first, so what you did was in self-defense. The clan's leader, Harumi, has already been warned previously of keeping her vampires in check. I think if they act up one more time they're gonna get expelled or something. They're on suspension right now. This place claims to be a boarding school but it's more of a containment area if anything." Lloyd rolled his eyes. "But anyways, how you feeling?"

"Everything hurts. Zane ended up making at least five of Mistaké's painkilling teas, so I'm doing pretty okay."

"Zane? I thought Kai was the one keeping an eye on you."

Cole remembered the previous night, the guilt in the incubus's eyes once he realized he'd accidentally triggered Cole's wounds by tickling him, and trying to reassure Kai that he was fine, but the insistent need to leave after deeming himself not worthy enough to numb the wolf's pain. Cole eventually said, "He had other things to do, so Zane took over. He left my room an hour ago."

"Huh, okay then. Kai usually doesn't do that, but whatever."

They were quiet the rest of the way to the office, and when they got there Lloyd threw open the door and loudly announced, “We’re here.” Wu and Garmadon turned to look at the new arrivals, and Cole shut the door gently behind him before hobbling over to a chair, needing to sit down after the long trek from the dorms to the office. Vukasin took a seat by his right side, sharp eyes fixed on Wu and Garmadon.

Lloyd slipped Cole the thermos of coffee that had been previously prepared, then turned to his dad and uncle. “So, yesterday. Fricking vampires thought they could feed on anyone they felt like it and also felt like they could attack a fellow pupil. Why? Because the rules don’t apply to them naturally because they’re vampires.” He snorted and rolled his eyes. "Bloodsucking bastards. They're suspended, right?"

"For two weeks," Wu responded.

"And Ultra Violet?"

"Another concussion. You need to stop smashing heads against things so often," Garmadon said. His son scoffed and rolled his eyes again, snarking, "She's lucky to have only gotten a concussion. I could’ve crushed her skull entirely.”

“And that would prove what?” Wu stepped in, pouring himself a cup of tea.

“Not to mess with one of my squad members. You don’t just go around attacking someone’s squad, whether or not they’re your mortal enemy. The vampires wouldn’t hesitate to snap my neck if I so much as breathed wrong around one of their oh-so-precious members,” Lloyd sneered. “Sometimes, you gotta warn those leeches with actual proof not to mess with you.”

“You don’t need to get so defensive for me, Lloyd,” Cole said, huddling in his seat with his shoulders drawn and sweaterpaws gripping the thermos. He looked meek, cloudy eyes soft and fragile, and he murmured softly, “I could always leave, if that’ll keep the peace.” Even softer, more to himself if anything, he added, “Coming here was a mistake."

“You’re not to blame for this. You have a right to be here just as much as the vampires do,” Garmadon said, but Cole didn’t believe it.

“You’re here to find a pack, and dammit, we know the risks but why do you keep refusing?” Lloyd demanded, still pissed.

"You what?" Garmadon turned to look at his son, who huffed, "Kai, Zane, Jay, Nya and I are more than willing to be Cole's pack, but _ someone _"-he glared at the ghost wolf-"refuses because he doesn't want to endanger us."

“I apologize for not wanting to endanger you five even more than what you already are. I’m just trying to look after you guys and keep you all safe,” Cole threw in, glaring up at Lloyd.

“See! You’re already doing your protective alpha thing with us, so why not just cement it and make it official?” Lloyd argued. “If you want us to be safe, then why _ not _ make us your pack so you can take it to the next level?”

“Because the chances of being killed are also taken to the next level. As a fairy you’re not a big priority. As a ghost wolf demon, you are. How many more ways can I say it for it to sink in past your thick skulls?"

“He has a point, Lloyd,” Garmadon pointed out, and the blond huffed, tugging at his bangs.

“And I don’t give a shit. None of us do. We’re already members of races that are hunted anyways: me and Jay for our wings, and Kai and Nya because who wouldn't want to fuck something as pretty as them. Have you ever known us to listen anyways?" Lloyd retorted. "What's one more thing to be hunted for?”

“Lloyd, drop it. I’m not having you guys make the irrational decision of being my pack,” Cole growled, eyes shining with anger. Lloyd turned to protest but the wolf shut it down.

"It's not worth it. I don't need Ronin coming for you like he did my dad's pack." Cole's voice cracked, and he softly whispered, "I can't lose my own pack that way." His shoulders slumped, his anger turning into sadness. He looked up, beginning to feel claustrophobic, and politely asked if he could go. Permission was granted, and he left the office, Vukasin trailing after him quietly.

"Cole, wait!" Lloyd chased after him, but Cole answered over his shoulder, "I already told you, drop it. I'm not accepting you guys as my pack."

"What if you got to Ronin first?"

Cole's feet slowed, and he turned around. "What?"

"What if you killed Ronin first, then would you make us your pack?"

"He's not the only trapper, far from."

"But the ones you killed when Jay and Kai were taken, those were his, weren't they? Then that must mean he's close. Shouldn't be too hard to track down and kill."

Cole laughed dryly. "If it was only that easy. He doesn't do a lot of the scouting himself, and his trappers would probably kill me on sight anyways, so what's the point?"

Lloyd huffed again. "You get someone with enough of your scent on them, one they want alive, and then you track Ronin down by following the scent trail, kill him, and then we become your pack. You can get your revenge on Ronin _ and _ a pack, so I'd say it's a win-win."

Cole squinted, staring at the fairy. It was such a stupid plan, one that obviously could be seen through, and he couldn’t believe he was even possibly considering it, but one question lingered at the tip of his tongue. "Who would willingly go through with this?"

Lloyd grinned, eyes gleaming with a cunning light.

* * *

Kai stood outside Cole's closed door, shifting uneasily. He'd opted for combat boots, skinny jeans, and an oversized sweatshirt, partly because he didn't feel like putting that much effort into his appearance for once but mostly due to wanting to avoid distraction during explaining why he suddenly bolted the previous night.

He cleared his throat and raised a hand to knock, but then he heard "Kai?" come from the left. Turning his head, he saw Cole staring at him.

The incubus lowered his hand and cleared his throat. "Um, hi." He felt like burrowing into his sweatshirt as the awkwardness continued to climb, but Cole started forwards, this time at a slower pace.

"I need to tell you something," the two said at the same time. Cole laughed awkwardly as Kai scratched the back of his head. The incubus waved a hand in a gesture that said the other was allowed to speak first, but Cole shook his head.

"I feel like you should go first," he said, and Kai shrugged and exhaled slowly.

"It's about last night," he began, and Cole unlocked and opened his bedroom door, motioning for Kai to follow him, which he did.

"I'm sorry for bolting the way I did. I thought it was cute finding your tickle spots but I didn't mean to do it so hard you almost pulled your stitches out, and I felt horrible for it because you asked me to take it away and I didn't so…" Kai left the rest unspoken, knowing Cole would understand.

"I'm not mad if that's what you're worried about," the ghost wolf answered mildly, unlacing his shoes and kicking them off to the side, climbing onto the bed. “I should’ve known you’d find them and target them, because what else do you do with tickle spots?”

Kai sank awkwardly onto the edge of the bed, bobbing his head slightly. “Suppose you’re right. But I just really wanted to apologize for ditching and yeah. I feel horrible for it, because you asked me to do something and I couldn’t so...yeah.”

“Like I said, don’t worry about it. We can try again later when I’m not so beaten up, alright?” Kai looked over and saw a soft half-smile on the wolf’s face, and seeing the lack of anger made the incubus exhale deeply and relax, feeling a bit better.

“So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?”

Cole’s gaze darkened, and he sat up. He crawled over closer to Kai, who was slightly perplexed by the change of emotions.

“It’s more like something I ask of you,” he began, beginning to play with the frayed strings. Kai leaned in closer, curious.

“Like a favor?” the incubus pressed.

Cole hesitated for a moment before slowly saying, “More like a plea. It won’t be easy, it wasn’t even my idea, and I hate myself for even asking this of you.”

“Who’s idea was it?”

“Lloyd’s.”

Kai sighed through his nose. “That violent flower crown-wearing bean. What did he come up with now.”

“He said that I was refusing to make the squad my pack because of the threat and presence of Ronin and his trappers, so he figured it’d be a win-win for me—_ us _—if I killed him and the trappers, then afterwards I make you guys into my pack.”

“I get the train of thought. Where do I come in?”

“Since I need to know where Ronin is, Lloyd thought that the perfect bait would be someone they want alive who is also covered in my scent to alert them to potential ghost wolf demons. The trappers take the bait, I follow the scent trail, I kill the trappers and Ronin, you and the others become my pack, and boom, end of story, the end. But I don’t want to endanger you on purpose just for that one thing. I’m against it, but Lloyd begged me to at least bring it up with you, said you’d agree to it without a second thought.”

“Lemme get this straight: I basically soak in your scent, dance around to get the trappers’ attention, then I get shipped off to Ronin, you follow the scent trail leading back to him, kill him and the others, then we’re made your pack. Did I get that right?”

Cole nodded, and Kai cracked a crooked grin. “I’ll do it.”

“Even after you’ve already been kidnapped by them once? Kai, they’ll treat you worse because you’ll smell like a ghost wolf. You were only drugged last time; who knows what they’ll do to you now.”

“Incubi fetch a high price on the market, right? I’m stronger than what you give me credit for, Cole. They won’t kill me because they want me alive,” Kai reminded, reaching for Cole’s hands and grasping them, feeling the slight chill of his fingers.

“Just because you’ll fetch a price doesn’t mean they won’t let you go unscathed. Don’t be so hasty with this, please,” Cole begged, desperate eyes searching Kai’s red gaze for some kind of silent signal that would let him know the incubus wasn’t seriously planning on it.

Kai leaned in and gently kissed Cole’s cheek. “I’ll consider it training for when we’re actually a part of your pack. I know you won’t be too far behind.”

Cole’s shoulders fell as his head drooped. “Are you absolutely sure you want to go through with this?” he whispered for final confirmation, lifting his head up to reveal sad and heartbroken eyes. Kai nodded, cupping the wolf’s face between both hands.

“I’m sure,” the incubus stated firmly yet softly. Cole’s hands came up and cupped the backs of Kai’s, and he turned his head to the side, pressing his mouth against Kai’s left palm.

“I hope you don’t mind wearing nothing but black and loose clothing for the next few days. It’s all what I have,” Cole murmured, pulling away.

“That’s fine. Your stuff looks comfy as hell anyways.”

* * *

Miles away from the school ran a figure through a forest blackened by the night. She was furious at her clan and at the mutt who dared to encroach upon their territory. Her hatred increased her speed, and she quickened her speed, needing to report back.

She startled the sentries with her quick pace, and she came to a halt outside a large tent. She strode forwards and pushed the flap off to the side, not caring if she was interrupting anything important.

“Ronin, there’s something you need to know,” Harumi said, sending the lower ranking mortals scrambling out of her way as she stalked towards him.

“Better be worth my time, Harumi. Make it snappy,” the middle-aged man with an eyepatch across his left eye said. She gritted her teeth, loathing his attitude towards her, but she managed to hiss through clenched teeth, “That wolf you talk about all the time? The one who freed the incubus and lightning spirit some time back? He plans on killing you.”

“How so?”

“He’s going to send the incubus with his scent on him to lure you out of hiding, killing you and your trappers. That was the idea I was getting when I happened to eavesdrop on the wolf and the headmaster’s nephew talking about it in the hall.”

Ronin sat back, contemplating. He knew exactly to whom the vampire leader was referring to, and his good eye slid to a beautiful, silver-green wolf pelt that he had hanging up on the wall of his tent.

The pup had finally grown up and was ready to seek vengeance for the slaughter of his pack? The trapper would make sure to give the wolf one hell of a hunt, and an idea came together inside Ronin’s head.

He wrote his instructions down and folded it up, sealing it in a small, unsuspicious-looking envelope. He gave it to Harumi and told her to take it to the one whose name was on the front and said that there would be no arguing about it. Harumi looked confused, but didn’t argue as she departed from the tent and raced back to the academy.

She tracked down the decoy and handed off the envelope, saying that Ronin told her that there would be no arguments about it. Moody purple eyes flashed beneath a mop of wild messy hair, but she complied, slamming the door shut in Harumi’s face. Her task completed, she turned and hurried to her room, thinking of the crushed and horrified look on the wolf’s face when he realized he’d been tricked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. Hopefully the length made up for not updating in over a month, and I will get started on the next chapter as soon as possible.
> 
> The beginning notes said everything, so now I've got nothing else to say in regards to that, so have a safe Halloween, feel free to kudo/comment, and I'll see y'all next time


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know it's been a while. Life got in the way like always

“You better take good care of these, okay? They’re my favorite things,” Cole said as he handed Kai an assortment of clothes. “I still hate this, though. My gut says something’s gonna happen.”

“Of _ course _ something’s gonna happen. You’re gonna get revenge _ and _ a pack,” Kai answered as he shamelessly stripped down to his spandex briefs in front of the wolf, throwing his discarded clothes to the side and ignoring the wide eyed look he got from Cole as he removed from the pile still held onto by the wolf a hoodie, similar to the one constantly worn by Cole but not quite the same.

“You’re stressing too much about this, Cole. I can take care of myself. Also, your clothes are comfy as hell but fuck me they’re huge.” Kai wiggled his head through the top, the hood catching and covering his eyes while the sleeves fell past his hands and the hem past the curve of his arse. He looked down at his feet before looking back up at Cole, using his sweaterpaws to push the hood back.

“I like having the room to move, okay?” Cole defended himself calmly, and Kai grabbed the next item, a pair of cargos with flecks of paint splattered across the thighs. The incubus cocked his notched eyebrow but put them on anyways, immediately reaching for a belt.

“Why did we think me wearing your clothes was a good idea? Wouldn’t sleeping together be more effective or something?” Kai asked as he cinched the belt as tight as he could, having to pull the pants up so that they rested on his hips instead of simply around them.

“With you, that phrase could mean two different things.”

“Cuddling with clothes on under the sheets and being snuggled. Unless…” Kai made a suggestive face, and Cole firmly stated, “Absolutely not.”

“You’re no fun, then.” The incubus stuck his tongue out, then opened his arms and asked, “How does this look?”

Cole scrutinized Kai closely, making him turn around so he could get a three-sixty degree view. “Looks like you broke into your boyfriend’s closet, but all in all not bad,” he finally said after he’d finished analyzing. Kai grinned then did a little shimmy before shoving his nose into the thick material of the hoodie.

“You do smell really nice, though. All woodsy and stuff. Even after this is done, I’m gonna be stealing your clothes just so I can smell you.”

“Do you steal from Jay’s and Zane’s closests as well?” Cole asked as they headed down the hall, Kai swimming in the all-black outfit and looking slightly like a crow compared to Cole, who was dressed like the Grim Reaper’s angsty teenage son in a black-and-gray outfit of ripped skinnies, canvas hi-tops, and a tee shirt with a jacket thrown overtop it.

“Jay’s too small, and Zane is very meticulous and careful with his clothing. He won’t even let me take his clothes off when we’re about to fuck let alone wear any of it out of fear I’ll ruin it one reason or another, but I mean he is a top and he likes to be in control, so I can’t exactly blame him and was this too much information?” Kai fixed Cole with large eyes, blinking rapidly from where he had his face buried into the hoodie, and Cole failed to keep his expression neutral, too overcome by how adorable Kai looked to do anything else.

“If you want to talk about sex, then go ahead,” Cole said, looking up from Kai back to the end of the hallway.

“Thanks for the invitation, but maybe another time. Don’t want to bore you with too many details of my escapades of sorts, although some are _ far _ from boring.” Kai grinned wickedly, and Cole sighed and shook his head in exasperation of the incubus, pushing open a door to start down the winding staircase.

They headed down to the usual meeting spot, talking about nothing in particular, and were greeted with the sight of Lloyd and Jay arguing about a comic they both loved, Zane trying to do his homework while making sure they didn’t start getting physical, and Skylor sitting with her back against the table’s edge with Nya straddling her waist, the succubus’s face pressed into the redhead’s neck.

“Wasn’t expecting to see you here, Skylor,” Cole commented as him and Kai drew close enough to the table.

“She insisted I carry her needy butt everywhere, and threatened me if I didn’t,” the demon replied, shifting her girlfriend slightly. Nya’s head rolled to the side, and that’s when Cole realized she was sleeping, and he turned to Kai to whisper, “What happened to her?”

“My guess she stayed up too late, too often working on homework and the tiredness caught up with her,” the incubus replied, angling a glance that held a question in his eyes to Skylor, who nodded the tiniest of nods. Kai blinked in confirmation, then looped an arm around an oblivious Cole’s shoulders, dragging him closer to the table.

“So, anything new to talk about? Anything at all?” Jay batted Lloyd away, the fairy dancing away out of reach before going back in for another attack, a cheeky smirk on his face as he bothered the lightning spirit by poking and nudging him.

“There’s the winter solstice gala coming up in a few months. Mom’s already put together the committee and planning’s started, so there’s gonna be that,” Lloyd said, still messing with Jay.

“Who’s on it this year?” Skylor asked, straining to look over her shoulder.

“Zane and me, of course, then Pixal, Gravis, Paleman, and Neuro. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I’m just glad she chose not to have Shade back this year,” the fairy answered.

“I liked last year’s theme,” Kai sniffed disdainfully. “I don’t know what wasn’t there to like about it. It was refreshing to have something be gothic and moody. It’s winter; it’s not supposed to be bright like spring.”

“You might want to skip this year if that’s the case, because with Pixal on the committee it’s guaranteed to turn out that way,” Zane advised, giving up on trying to concentrate and closing the notebook he was working in.

“It’ll be organized and not everything just placed wherever, though,” Skylor remarked. “It was a disorganized, chaotic mess last year.”

“What day is it today?” Jay randomly asked, eyebrow twitching as Lloyd incessantly poked his arm.

“Um, Thursday, I think. Why?” Cole answered, watching as Jay finally shoved Lloyd off the bench and onto the ground.

“No reason. I just find it a little amusing that we’re all skipping class, that’s all.”

Zane grabbed his things and bolted, trying to cram everything into his backpack before hastily throwing it over a shoulder, panicked at the thought of missing class. Everyone else watched the elf bolt back to the school, eyebrows raised in mild amusement at how devoted he was to his studies.

“So, who’s gonna tell him we don’t have class today because Classes 1 through 3 are having quarter finals?” Kai commented while at the same time Skylor shook her head and murmured “You mean bastards” under her breath.

* * *

Zane slowly sank down into a seat at a table in the Commons, exhaling slowly through his nose as he set his tray down with a soft scrape. The rest of the squad acted like nothing had happened earlier, bantering easily with one another and going about their usual antics. Jay and Lloyd were back to squabbling about Starfarer, Cole was poking at a questionable lump of meat on his plate with a mildly concerned look and turning to a sleepy Nya to consult if it was supposed to look like that, and Kai was rattling all the reasons why last year’s winter solstice gala was the best to an uninterested Skylor.

Zane cleared his throat, staring down at his plate. Eyes turned to look at him, and Jay cracked a grin as he began, “When’d you figure-”

“It isn’t about today,” Zane interrupted. “Misako caught me in the hall and said that someone had reported finding traces of trappers in the area, closer than the last ones.” He looked up, piercing eyes clashing with Cole’s, worry beginning to take root in the wolf demon’s eyes.

“I had other plans tonight, but I guess I’ll have to put those off till next month,” he murmured, slouching in his seat as his brows furrowed.

“What’s special about tonight?” Jay questioned, sending a confused look down the table before it cleared up as Lloyd hissed, “Full moon, dumbass.”

Cole nodded and sighed, shoulders lowering even more. “I don’t doubt what Misako says, but I just want to be sure and see for myself.”

“What are you thinking?” Lloyd questioned, and Cole gave a one-shouldered shrug, continuing to poke at his food.

“Just doing a sweep of the area and see how close they are. It’ll help me gauge when”-his voice trailed off as he glanced to Kai for a brief moment-“_ things _ might happen.” The incubus pointedly looked away, beginning to play with his food.

"Um...what things?" Nya rested her face in both hands, blinking tiredly at Cole. He ran a hand through his bangs and slouched down even further in his seat, glancing around to see if anyone was paying attention before he softly said, "Since the squad wants to be my pack and with Ronin still at large, Lloyd came up with the idea of using bait to lure him out so I can get rid of him, then with him removed make you guys my pack. And your brother's already agreed to do it."

Nya turned her head to stare at Kai. "You fool. Why did you-"

"Because Ronin is the biggest obstacle we have right now, and to kill the predator you need to sacrifice bait. And also because I was kinda the only option."

"Was I never considered?" Jay looked lowkey offended, and Kai turned to him and answered, "If it was you, they'd do more than pluck a few feathers from your wings. The chances of you being killed are substantially higher, but at least if it's me I have a chance. We love you too much to do that to you, bluebird."

Cole nodded, still poking at the questionable meat before him. “Don’t get me wrong, I loathe the idea of it, but at this point what other choice is there? And Nya, before you say anything, I will be on the trail as soon as they snatch him.”

Nya nodded, glancing to Kai out of the corner of her eye. Kai shrugged, silently challenging her to say something else about the task he’d volunteered to do. She shook her head, still not believing why her brother was doing something so dangerous although at the same time she wondered why she was even surprised when this was expected behavior from him.

They finished their lunches and headed to the training room, agreeing it had been a while and that they needed to keep their skills sharp. All except Cole, who retreated to his room to get in a nap before nightfall, Vukasin faithfully by his side.

“_ Does this mean they’re coming along on the patrol tonight? _” Vukasin asked as he watched Cole discard his shirt and change into a pair of loose shorts, pulling the sheets back and sliding underneath.

“Unless we sneak out and hide so they can’t find us beforehand, probably,” he responded, tugging the pillow down while drawing the sheets over his head, encasing himself in darkness. The bed dipped slightly as Vukasin joined him, pressing their backs together. It gave Cole security and comfort to feel that, and he grinned into his pillow for a moment before relaxing once more. “Wake me up when it’s dusk.”

* * *

“If we find any trappers, we’re not attacking. What we’re doing is coming straight back here. Safety is first, and we don’t want to risk screwing up the chance of luring Ronin out. And also so faculty is aware that there are, in fact, trappers. Is that understood?” Cole asked, gaze raking across the assembly. All nodded, and he sighed, drawing his shoulders in close against the unusually nippy night. “Good, so nothing bad will happen now that we have established a plan and a course of action.”

“But what do we do in the event we’re discovered by trappers?” Lloyd piped up, and Cole fixed him with an unwavering stare and deadpanned, “You run like you have fire at your heels and worst things than death less than an inch away. Because...well, they will be.”

Lloyd blanched and exchanged stares with Kai, who looked like he was contemplating and regretting all life choices up to that moment. The fairy turned back to Cole and asked, “Anything else we should know about before we commit to this?”

“Not that I can think of.” The wolf demon glanced down to his left, then flicked his eyes up to the sky. “_ A-a-a-a-actually _, there is one thing. Could you guys give me some privacy for about ten minutes in about thirty seconds? Forced transformations are never comfortable with clothes on.”

The squad turned their backs, waiting for the ten minutes to be up and trying to keep busy in the meantime. Behind them, Cole’s human body melted into a wolf, and when it was complete, he slunk up along Zane’s leg, looking up at the elf before turning his head to the side, perking up before turning away, heading southwest. He turned back to look over his shoulder, the expression on his face asking why they weren’t following him, and they started after him, following at a moderate jog.

“Are we sure he knows where he’s going?” Jay asked after being on the move for sometime, running a hand through his bangs and pushing them off his forehead. Cole halted abruptly and whipped his head around to stare at the lightning spirit, the glare in the wolf’s eyes clearly expressing his displeasure at being questioned. Jay averted his eyes and said, “Okay, okay, you know where you’re going.” Cole huffed and resumed his trot, moving at a faster pace than earlier.

“We’re like two miles away from the school, surely the hunters are far enough if they’re more than two miles?” Kai panted after having broken into a run to keep up with Cole’s abrupt change into a full dash. He got head shakes and shrugs in response, and from Cole there was nothing, just a moment’s pause to sniff the air before resuming the sprint.

“Maybe...we should focus more on...running endurance instead,” Jay wheezed, leaning against a tree to recover his breath. Everyone else nodded breathlessly, and Skylor turned to Cole and inquired, “Why so far away from the academy?”

Cole glanced at her, then with a jerk of his head turned and vanished into a thick strip of undergrowth. The others started after him, crawling on their stomachs through the dirt and leaves, pushing branches aside to see down into a clearing filled with tents, cages, and people dressed with hooded cloaks and masks across their faces.

The flap of the largest tent opened, and Cole stiffened, beginning to shake as he bared his teeth as a man with a maroon hat and eyepatch across his right eye stepped into view, talking with one of the trappers. It didn’t take much to figure out who it was based on Cole’s reaction, and Zane tentatively put a hand on the scruff of the trembling wolf. The unexpected touch made him jump, and he pulled away, shimmying backwards from underneath the bush.

“Cole, you’ll get your chance,” Nya said after backing out as well, sitting on the ground with a knee pulled up to her chest. Cole stared at her, an ear flicking irritably as he paced the area, baring his fangs are he huffed in anger.

“Um, why are we still here? We know where they are, and you said we were going straight back to the academy after doing so. So..._ why are we still here? _” Skylor lunged for Jay, slapping a hand over his mouth to silence the spirit. Everyone froze, waiting with bated breath for a response down in the camp. Cole’s ears perked, and his body slid into a battle-ready stance, eyes fixed on the direction of the camp.

“Lurking like always in the shadows. And behind shields as well.” Cole spun around, snarling as the figure from the clearing below stepped forward, turning a shuriken made of deepstone over in his hands. Cole’s eyes fell to the weapon held by Ronin, breathing picking up pace as he stepped backwards.

“We’re not shields,” Kai spit, flicking his wrists to activate the weapons contained by the twin bracelets. Cole snapped at the incubus, warning him to back down before he made a mistake.

“That’s what they all say before they’re left behind to fend for themselves after making the mistake of trusting them,” Ronin deadpanned, pushing himself off the tree he was leaning against. Kai shifted as the others drew their weapons, stepping up to stand behind the still-snarling Cole.

“Maybe other ghost wolves, but not Cole,” Zane said, the rims of his irises taking on a jagged edge like ice. His knuckles were white from gripping his shurikens, and he sensed trappers lurking around them. He spun to the left, releasing a shuriken, and the wet thud of it sinking into a body followed.

Chaos descended. The trappers ripped into the small group, forcing them to fight for their lives. Cole lunged for Ronin, jaws snapping at empty air as the trapper spun away, raising the aeroblade to swipe at the wolf's exposed flank.

As they battled, the others had fallen into pairs, guarding the other's back. Kai and Nya were a whirlwind of blades, the cold glint of sharpened metal dulled by blood as they brought their attackers down. Zane and Skylor were unmoving pillars, the elf using pressure points when without his shurikens to cripple the trappers while the demon finished them off with a blade from a nearby body. Lloyd and Jay fought like angry cats, screeching and spitting furiously as they disregarded their own weapons and ripped into their enemies, Jay hacking and stabbing with an abandoned knife while Lloyd grabbed a pointed stone and began slamming it into skulls, red eyes filled with fury.

The six managed to bring down the trappers, and they recollected by the bushes they’d hidden under earlier, covered in blood from themselves and their enemies. Pale light started to streak through the black sky, dawn beginning to force the night away, and Lloyd latched onto Zane’s arm, looking up at the elf with large eyes.

“Cole. Dawn. Transformation,” the fairy rasped, breathing heavily. The squad hared off after Cole, following the broken undergrowth and blood trail to where Ronin stood over a staggering wolf, fur slowly withdrawing into his skin as his body sluggishly returned to human form.

Skylor threw her knife, intercepting the aeroblade that was aimed at Cole. The weapons scraped against each other, falling to the forest floor with a thump, the knife clattering against the deepstone. Ronin glared at the redhead, and no one noticed Cole be dragged away by an invisible force, the appearance of the squad the right amount of distraction for Vukasin to haul Cole to shelter.

Zane and Kai leaped forward, the elf throwing a shuriken while the incubus raised a sword for an overhand strike. Ronin dodged the shuriken and blocked the blow, leaving Nya and Skylor to come in from opposite sides as Lloyd and Jay struck from the back.

Daylight bled into the sky, the top of the sun breaching the tips of the trees. And still the squad continued to battle Ronin, doing just enough to keep the trapper engaged while Cole returned to human form and eventually to finish the fight.

The squad fell back from Ronin, recollecting on the edge of the small clearing they were fighting in, the rumbling growl that came from the trees serving as their warning.

“Now we fucking fight,” Cole snarled as he slunk from the trees, dressed in a pair of pants he’d taken from a dead trapper with his scythe behind him, the cold curved blade promising pain. A cut above his eyes was bleeding, and he shook his head impatiently, sending thick red drops flying while more clung to his eyelashes. He hoisted the scythe up so both hands were on the handle, sliding one foot back as he stared Ronin down, teeth bared. “Your life is mine, Ronin.”

The trapper glanced behind him to the six loitering behind him, noting their lack of weapons and their posture that said this was no longer their fight. He turned back to Cole, and pulled from nowhere another aeroblade, flinging it at the wolf. Cole dove to the side, rolling back onto his feet before lunging, swinging his scythe.

With Cole back in human form and properly armed with the scythe, the fighting between wolf and trapper was even, allowing for proper attacks and defensive maneuvers, which drew the fight into a cycle of the same thing: Cole swung his scythe, and Ronin blocked with two crossed aeroblades. Ronin then threw one of the aeroblades, and Cole dove to the side. It went on to the point where no one thought there would be a victor, but then Cole managed to get behind Ronin. Throwing the scythe to the side, the wolf darted in and pulled the knife from the sheath on the trapper’s right thigh. Before Ronin could react, Cole had slit his throat, holding his head back as blood sprayed from the deep cut.

Cole released the body, and it crumpled to the blood-soaked ground. He dropped the knife and stalked over to his scythe, picking it up and swinging it to shrink it, clasping it to its home on his choker. He sluggishly turned to face the six waiting for him, and seeing their faces made his legs go weak. He collapsed to the ground, inspiring them to race to his side to see how he was.

“I’ll be fine,” Cole mumbled in a throaty voice, exhaustion glazing his eyes. His eyelashes fluttered close as Zane held a piece of ice to the bloodied face, using a clean piece of material ripped from his shirt to wipe off the softened blood. He relaxed into the elf’s touch, letting him clean the blood as he recovered his breath. He held his hands out without complaint as Zane moved to them, taking the edge off the blood.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Skylor asked as Cole pushed himself onto his feet, staggering slightly as he started towards the camp.

“I need to check on something. It’s important.” They followed after him, ready to lunge for him in case he collapsed.

“What’s in here that’s so important?” Lloyd looked around Ronin’s tent, staring at all the trophies displayed inside. He looked sick as he stared at a pair of jeweled fairy wings, a pale periwinkle color with strings of silver and tiny pearls laced throughout the thin gossamer. A low, tortured moan came from Cole, and heads turned to watch him limp towards a large silver-green wolf pelt hanging on the wall. His shoulders trembled as he began to cry, hands shaking as he tentatively reached out to touch it. His cries turned into sobs as he rested his forehead against it, fingers stroking the soft fur lightly.

“Cole?” Kai’s voice betrayed his worry, and his concern was reflected in the glances exchanged with everyone else.

“You didn’t deserve this treatment,” the wolf whispered to the fur, pulling away to unfasten it from the wall, making sure to handle the pelt with the utmost care. He held it gingerly in his arms, and turned to face the squad.

“It’s my mother.” Cole looked miserable, tears falling down his cheeks and landing on the fur as he glanced down at it. “She was flayed the night my dad and I were captured by Ronin.”

“I’m so sorry,” Jay whispered, everyone else stunned into silence as they stared at the fur. Cole raised a hand and brushed the tears away, sniffing as he cradled the pelt.

“Let’s just get back to the academy.” Cole limped past them and out the tent, and they passed by the clearing with Ronin’s body still where it was. Cole paused and stared at it, then whispered under his breath, “Burn in hell, you fucker,” before resuming the trudge back to the academy, not noticing the subtle changes happening to the corpse.

“Is there anything I can do?” Zane asked softly outside the wolf’s bedroom door. The others had slipped off to their rooms, needing to clean up, leaving Zane and Cole to themselves. The wolf looked lost, and he murmured numbly, “I don’t know.”

Zane slipped an arm around Cole’ shoulders, guiding him inside the room. Cole laid his mother’s pelt down reverently on his bed, then allowed Zane to lead him into the bathroom to finish cleaning off the blood. The wolf was too numb and lost to protest the gentle care he was being supplied from Zane, not noticing that the elf had convinced him to change clothes once done.

“Anything else I can do for you before I go?” Zane asked, carefully searching the void green stare. Cole pressed his face into the elf’s neck, arms sliding around his narrow waist, desperate for some kind of physical contact to keep him anchored. Zane pulled the wolf closer against him, and the grip around his waist constricted.

“Thank you. For everything,” Cole whispered against the cool neck, pulling away to meet the elf’s cerulean gaze. It pained Zane to see the broken and anguished look in the wolf’s eyes, and he pulled Cole’s face back into his neck, breathing quietly as the wolf started to softly cry, “You’re welcome.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was expecting the last half to happen a bit later, not this chapter, but ah well
> 
> I have no idea when the next chapter's gonna come out, so till then, have a good day/night, have a good week, and I'll catch y'all next time


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why this took so damn long:  
1) Procrastination  
2) I didn't know what to write for this chapter  
3) I've been writing four other Ninjago-related things, including more chapters for Demon Babysitters so I can get a regular update schedule somewhat restarted with that
> 
> ANYWAYS, I finally convinced myself it was time for an update so here's this. Enjoy

Zane slowly stirred from a deep sleep, careful not to wake Cole. After the wolf had begged him to stay, the elf had given in and provided the comfort and reassurance Cole needed desperately. Now, the raven-haired male lay with his face pressed into Zane’s chest, having cried himself to sleep as he opened up more as to what had happened when Ronin had attacked and slaughtered his birth pack, the details horrifying.

Zane ran his fingers through Cole’s hair, contemplating on what he had been told. He couldn’t imagine how horrible it must have been to watch his own mother have her pelt skinned from her still-living body then paraded around like a sick trophy, and he felt terrible for Cole. No one deserved that treatment, but the wolf was right when he'd once said that no one cared as long as they were a ghost wolf demon. That was the only qualifier, and Zane once again thought about the decision of becoming a ghost wolf. If that was the catch, then he wasn't as certain of it being a good idea…

...and then he remembered all the times the squad had gotten into trouble and managed to wriggle their way out again. They fought off the trappers with only minor injuries to themselves. They always had each other's back, and woe to those who messed with them. So surely they could handle the added danger of being ghost wolves.

Cole shifting and burrowing further into Zane brought the elf out from his thoughts, and he glanced down to the wolf beginning to wake. Zane murmured a greeting, and Cole responded by wordlessly grunting, voice muffled by the elf's chest as he slipped an arm around Zane’s waist, refusing to let him move.

“Cole, we need to get up,” Zane tried, attempting to wriggle out of the wolf’s tight grip, but another wordless protest was the answer. The elf huffed a sigh, then forcibly shoved Cole away, causing him to squawk from the suddenness of it.

“Dude,” he began, but Zane silenced him with, “You were refusing to get up, which meant I had to do something. Now hurry, I’m sure the others are waiting for us. And if you go back to bed, I will freeze your sheets so they will never warm.” With a small smile and tiny head tilt, Zane slipped out of Cole’s room and returned to his own to clean and change, leaving the wolf to skedaddle out of bed.

* * *

“So...last night happened,” Kai said as the squad gradually came together at their usual table. He turned to Cole who was nestling down between Lloyd and Jay. “Where do we go from here.”

“Well...I gotta send a message to my dad so he can make preparations and gather a few packs for witnesses. So that in and of itself will take a few months considering everyone’s in hiding. After that it’s just a matter of waiting, and once everything’s set it’ll be a few days of traveling and getting a few final things sorted out.”

“That sounds like a lot of work,” Jay commented, and Cole glanced at him.

“It’s not every day an alpha obtains a pack so of course it’s gonna be a huge deal,” the wolf responded. “It’s gonna take time before everything’s set up.”

“So, what exactly happens at this...gathering?” Lloyd inquired, leaning on an elbow to turn and face Cole. Cole flicked his eyes over to the fairy before dropping them to the weathered wood of the table.

“Typically there’s a small party beforehand for everyone to catch everyone up on everything while waiting for the entire assembly and also to kill time before the actual ceremony. The pack-to-be and the alpha's separated for some prep before everything happens, then are brought back together to be presented to Pangur. If everything goes well, then yay there's a new pack. If not, well then it's back to square one."

"Has that happened before, a pack not being accepted?"

"It doesn't happen often but yeah, it has. Usually the second time around it's approved and stuff. Ironically enough, it's rather the unorthodox ones that have the better chance of being approved."

"Oh, you mean  _ unorthodox _ as in a lightning spirit, a demonic fairy, an ice elf, an incubus with his succubus sister and her demon girlfriend. Wow you really can’t get any more unorthodox than us,” Jay threw in. “What was your mom, then.”

“Oh, she was an elementalist. Specifically earth,” the wolf answered, then upon seeing the confused looks quickly added, “What?”

“You never said anything about having elemental powers,” Lloyd said first. Cole’s shoulders pulled in as he responded, “I don’t. That’s why I never said anything earlier.”

“Aw c’mon, you probably just don’t realize you had them. Get that anxious ass of yours up; we’re gonna fix that,” Kai put in with a large grin, red eyes gleaming.

* * *

“ _ Sensei-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i! _ We’ve got a problem!” The incubus barreled into the headmaster’s office, immediately followed by a cheeky-looking Jay shoving a visibly panicking Cole inside behind the squawking Kai. Zane, Nya, Skylor, and Lloyd slunk in behind them, already apologizing for interrupting while Cole immediately denied it being his idea.

Wu set his tea down, an action mirrored by Misako and Garmadon. “What sort of problem, Kai?” the headmaster asked.

“Cole needs help realizing that yeah, he does have earth-based powers,” the incubus announced while from behind him Cole once again swore that this wasn’t his idea. “Yeah I know, they can skip a generation but c’mon, this guy just  _ shrieks  _ he has earth powers.”

“I really don’t,” Cole argued, vigorously shaking his head before fixing a large gaze filled with mild panic on the incubus as he skipped backwards to the wolf, who innocently asked why he looked so nervous.

“I’m friends with you yet literally no one knows what you’re gonna do next,” Cole answered, and the incubus pulled away with an overly exaggerated look of surprise, even putting a hand to his chest for emphasis.

“I’m not  _ that _ chaotic.”

“No, you’re worse,” Zane put in from the back.

“Anyways, back to the issue at hand,” Misako gently interrupted, “you’re concerned that Cole isn’t aware he in fact has elemental powers and wants something to be done to awaken them.”

“Pretty much,” Jay confirmed, and Misako glanced at Wu, who glanced at Cole. The headmaster analyzed the wolf for a few moments then slowly said, “There are a few simple techniques you could use to determine whether or not you in fact have elemental powers. I suppose I could show them to you.”

“Hell yeah!”

“Alone, of course.”

“ _ What?! _ ”

“I doubt Cole is a fan of being watched when trying new things,” the headmaster stated, putting Kai’s overenthusiastic energy down a few degrees. Cole nodded, Kai pouting as he sulked back to the rest of the squad, curling around Jay and resting his chin on the spirit’s shoulder.

Wu ushered the kids from his office, leading Cole alone to a training room the ghost wolf had never seen before. Stepping inside he noticed scorch marks, water damage, deep gashes that had been mended. Signs of untamed elemental usage.

"Are you sure this is gonna reveal if I have elemental powers or not?" Cole inquired as Wu turned to face him, standing some yards away.

"It has helped others to discover their own powers, their testimonies the marks on the walls as you can see." He set his staff on the ground then instructed Cole to follow his movements and instructions exactly. The wolf nodded, sliding into a position with his feet spread, more weight on his right leg causing his knee to bend while bringing his hands back to his left hip, touching his wrists together.

Wu slid into several more stances, smoothly transitioning between each one. Cole mirrored him, balance not as stable as the teacher's but enough to hold the position for a few moments. Once they'd cycled through them once, they repeated it over and over, the pace growing each time. As the pace grew the movements and transitions became sharper, no longer graceful and fluid but hard and forceful. The last few times Wu told him to not think, just do, act on any feelings or emotions felt. Cole didn't see how that would help but he nodded, noticing the headmaster move to the side. He waited for Wu to indicate to begin, and the ghost wolf did. With each sharp and firm movement Cole felt unbridled anger begin to swell within him. He was unsure of where it came from, but the one thought that stayed with him was his mother. Her death sourced his fury, and blindly he slammed his fist on the ground, a guttural scream tearing from his throat.

The room shook, the floor cracking like broken glass. Cole stared at the ruined floor then up at Wu, eyes large and shining with baffled confusion. Instead of getting an answer, though, Wu merely nodded and told the wolf to be in that room at sunrise tomorrow morning, slipping out the door.

* * *

Nearly two weeks had passed since Cole had been dragged to Wu's office, and since then the squad had barely seen him. Now, late at night, Zane was settling into bed with a book and hot tea when a soft knock at his door had him pausing everything. Sighing and praying it wasn't an incubus, a lightning spirit, or a fairy ready to break rules, he crossed the room and opened the door.

"Um…" Cole raised his hands, an embarrassed smile on his face as the elf stared at the bruised and bloodied knuckles. Zane took in the ruined hands for a few moments, then stepped back to let him in before closing the door and leading him to the bathroom.

"I'm assuming that, by the way your hands look and also your absence, you’ve found your elemental power and have been practicing,” the elf noted as he indicated for Cole to take a seat as he retrieved the first aid kit he kept beneath the sink. “Which is where you’ve been the past two weeks.”

The wolf nodded, removing his hoodie and dropping it to the floor. Placing his hands on the edge of the sink he said, “I don’t know what happened exactly, but since then everything’s felt weird. I’m somehow more stable, and I feel more powerful.”

Zane nodded slowly, turning the faucet to cool and pulling Cole’s hands beneath the water, carefully rinsing the blood off. He was pleased to see it wasn’t as bad as it looked, but the bruising was still ugly, dark circles resembling targets surrounding each one. On the palm and back of Cole’s right hand were large, swollen areas colored dark blue and yellow-green. Zane’s eyes narrowed, and giving the wolf a glance from the corner of his eye he asked what had happened to cause the damage. Cole was silent for a few moments, then mumbled under his breath, “I missed and ended up probably partially dislocating something a small degree.”

Zane paused and gave the wolf a firm glare, the cloudy green eyes quickly flicking away. The elf slowly drawled, “Partially dislocated something. Did you go to Mistaké to get it fixed?”

Silence.

“You reset it  _ yourself? _ ”

“I could still move my finger and it didn’t even hurt! All what there was was the sound of muscles and tendons being pulled and then it was normal again.”

“Cole, that is the  _ one thing _ you do not do when it comes to dislocating something, partial or not. You could have pinched a nerve or reset it incorrectly, something that is  _ very _ easy to do without training. Training you do not have.” Zane exhaled deeply, then said in a much calmer voice, “You won’t be able to use it for the next two to three weeks to allow it to heal. You’ll have to visit Mistaké for a brace to make sure your fingers don’t move. Which one was it?”

“Pinky.”

Zane nodded again, then carefully dried Cole’s hands. The wolf watched with furrowed brows, stare fixed on the mottled bruise that covered the better half of his hand. His lips moved but Zane couldn’t understand what he said.

“How are you so good at this?” Cole repeated after the elf asked for clarification.

“As an elf it’s my duty to be a healer. And have you not seen whom I’m friends with? I have to look after primarily an incubus who fights like he fucks, a lightning spirit who will fly into a tree because he can’t see, and a fairy who for some reason is obsessed with stones. The amount of times they’ve barged in and demanded I heal them when I merely wanted to read with a cup of tea, bloodied and grinning like idiots.”

“What was that about Kai fighting like he fucks?”

“Intense, never runs out of energy, and someone will be bloody by the end of it. Fuck him or fuck with him, it does not matter. Someone will be fucked and they will be covered in blood.”

“He’s insatiable.”

Zane handed the wolf his sweatshirt from the floor. “He really is.”

The pair headed to the infirmary, Cole supporting his right hand wrapped in ice. When they got there and explained to Mistaké what happened, the healer shook her head and wandered off to find a brace, muttering under her breath how the youth was always getting into injured. She was back within moments, then instructed Cole to hold his hand out. She bound his ring and pinky fingers together at a bent angle, allowing his thumb, index, and middle to be free as she secured the brace around his hand and wrist.

“Drink this three times a day for the next two weeks; it’ll help with healing,” she said, handing the wolf a large bag of tea leaves. Fixing Zane a hard stare she instructed, “Make sure he keeps that on at all times. Wolves get antsy real fast.” Giving Cole the same firm stare, she shooed them away, and the pair returned to Zane’s room.

“You really don’t have to do this,” Cole said as Zane reheated the tea water, already prepping a cup of the tea Mistaké gave the wolf.

“I do because I want to.” The water finished heating up, and he poured it over the tea leaves. He handed the cup to the wolf sitting curled on the elf’s bed, sweatshirt once more discarded and sleeves of his t-shirt pushed up.

“How was training?” Zane asked after reheating his own tea, having gone cold.

“It was going well. Sure my back is all stiff and tense as a result but everything was going well before I fricked up.”

Zane set his tea down and pressed his hands to the wolf’s back and shoulders, feeling the rigid tension in them. “Do you want me to give you a massage to help with that? Since I’m already taking care of you.”

“You don’t have to-”

“Shirt off, on your stomach.” The elf retreated to the bathroom, grabbing a bottle of lotion he kept just in case for situations like these. When he returned, he found the wolf still sitting there, mildly confused.

“You’re serious,” he deadpanned as he saw the lotion bottle, and Zane nodded. Cole finally removed his shirt and grabbed a pillow, making himself comfortable on his stomach. The elf climbed on, straddling the wolf’s waist and sitting back on his heels as he uncapped the lotion, squeezing a generous amount into a palm. Rubbing his hands together to warm the lotion, he placed both hands on Cole’s shoulders, methodically rubbing across them and up his neck, figuring out the worst of the knots.

As he worked, Zane couldn’t help but notice the scars littered across the olive skin. Some small circles that looked like puncture marks, others thin slices from narrow knives. More were thicker and jagged, claw marks from long ago fights. They were all pale, healed years ago, and the elf felt oddly bad at the sight. Cole had a gorgeous back, broad shoulders that tapered into a narrow waist, the muscles thick and well-toned, but it was covered in scars.

“You’re too good at this,” Cole mumbled, drawing Zane from his thoughts. The elf grinned, teasingly answering in a low voice, “You’re not going to fall asleep on me, are you?”

“Y’know, I just might. Good luck moving me.”

Zane rolled his eyes, working his way lower down Cole’s back. He could feel the wolf relaxing into his touch, breathing slowly as the tension was worked from his muscles. At one point Zane was convinced Cole had in fact fallen asleep, but then he was stirring, lifting his head up and staring at the tea that remained untouched.

Zane pulled away, sitting back on his heels as Cole reached for it, shamelessly chugging it. He noticed Zane’s mildly disappointed stare and asked what was wrong.

“That is not how you drink tea,” the elf commented, reaching for the bottle of lotion once more and squeezing some more into his hand to cover the wolf’s lower back.

“Zane, I want you to take one look at me and see if I care about tea drinking etiquette right now. My main concern is you rubbing my back and putting me to sleep.”

The elf knew he’d been around Kai too much, and he could’ve sworn he heard the incubus hollering in the distance as he leaned down and whispered into Cole’s ear, “I could rub other things if that will put you to sleep faster.”

Cole stared at Zane from the corner of his eye, and the elf grinned impishly, pulling away to work on the wolf’s lower back. His grin increased when Cole stated, “I know what you’re capable of, and that filter is staying up.”

“Dirty talking isn’t the only thing I can do, my dear wolf. I can also be quite the tease, making them crying messes because I’ve edged them for too long and they’re begging for release. They’re rather pretty like that, but they’re also a handful.” Zane slid his hands up Cole’s back, gripping his shoulders lightly as he dropped his head, whispering into the wolf’s ear, “Why don’t you join us one time? Kai would be thrilled and Jay is incredibly weak for being dominated. With you there, they’d be incoherent messes in minutes.”

Cole turned to glance at Zane, who slipped off the wolf to lay down next to him on his own back, making full eye contact. The clouded green gaze was hooded, a crooked smile on his face. Zane narrowed his eyes as the wolf said throatily, “We can try it. But you’ll have to teach me a few things before then.”

The elf’s lips curled into a smile that matched Cole’s, and he answered, “With pleasure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there you have it. I don't know when that foursome's gonna take place, but probably within the next five chapters whenever those get written. The next update's gonna be a while, so until then, be safe, have a good week, and I'll catch y'all next time


End file.
